Country file · Asia & the Middle East

Cryptids of Taiwan

What cryptids are in Taiwan? The best-known is Mô-sîn-á.

Taiwan’s mountains and forests are home to the mô-sîn-á, small furry or child-like tricksters who lead hikers astray. Their favourite prank is to make people lose all sense of direction and wander to remote places. The belief is shared across Hoklo, Hakka and Indigenous cultures.

  • 1 cryptid

Cryptids reported in Taiwan

Humanoid · Pre-modern folklore

Mô-sîn-á

Mountains and forests of Taiwan Mô-sîn-á, the trickster of Taiwan’s mountains: small furry spirits said to lead hikers astray and lure people, especially children, into remote forest. Regional legend

The legends of Taiwan

Japanese-era newspapers mention it, and the horror film The Tag-Along brought the legend to modern audiences.

Hotspots

  • Taiwan’s central mountains

    Forested ranges where stories of being led astray are told.

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