| Jiangshi | |
|---|---|
 Official uniform of a mandarin from Qing dynasty, which jiangshi are usually portrayed wearing. | |
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Other Names |
Jiangshi |
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First Appearance |
Chinese Mythology |
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Created by |
Chinese Mythology |
Origin[]
A jiāngshi also known as a Chinese hopping vampire, is a type of reanimated corpse in Chinese legends and folklore. It is typically depicted as a stiff corpse dressed in official garments from the Qing dynasty, and it moves around by hopping with its arms outstretched. It kills living creatures to absorb their qi, or "life force", usually at night, while during the day, it rests in a coffin or hides in dark places such as caves.
The Qing dynasty scholar Ji Xiaolan mentioned in his book Yuewei Caotang Biji that the causes for a corpse to be reanimated can be classified in either of two categories: a recently deceased person returning to life, or a corpse that has been buried for a long time but does not decompose
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
All published appearances of Jiangshi from before January 1, 1929 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances include:
- Yuewei Caotang Biji
- Bencao Gangmu
- Jingchu Suishi Ji
- Zi Bu Yu
- Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio
Notes[]
- Kyonpan, an unused Pokémon from Pokémon Gold and Silver, is based on the jiangshi.