Jiangshi
僵尸
The hopping corpse of Chinese folklore — a vampire reanimated by yin energy.
Origin Story
What Is Jiangshi?
Jiangshi — literally 'stiff corpse' — is a creature from Chinese folklore. When a person dies far from home and the body is not properly buried, or when a grave is disturbed, the corpse can absorb yin energy and reanimate. The result is a jiangshi: a stiff, hopping vampire that drains the life force (qi) of the living.
The jiangshi's distinctive hopping movement comes from rigor mortis — the body is too stiff to walk, so it hops with both legs together, arms outstretched. This image — a greenish, decomposing figure in Qing Dynasty robes, hopping through the moonlight — is one of the most recognizable images in Chinese horror.
Jiangshi is the Chinese hopping vampire — a corpse reanimated by yin energy that hops stiffly through the night, absorbing the life force of the living. It is one of the most iconic figures in Chinese horror.
Powers & Symbols
Attributes & Artefacts
Click each card to reveal the details behind Jiangshi's divine attributes.
Historical & Cultural Meaning
Beyond the Myth
Jiangshi Origins and Folk Beliefs
The jiangshi myth has practical roots in Chinese funeral customs. In ancient China, dying far from home was a terrible fate — the body needed to be returned to the ancestral village for proper burial. Transportation was expensive, so 'corpse drivers' were hired to transport bodies at night.
These corpse drivers would carry bodies on bamboo poles across their shoulders. From a distance, the bouncing bamboo made the corpses appear to be hopping — which gave rise to the legend of the hopping vampire. The reality of nighttime corpse transport became the mythology of the jiangshi.
Jiangshi Weaknesses
Like all Chinese supernatural creatures, jiangshi have specific, cataloged weaknesses. A yellow paper talisman stuck to the forehead will freeze a jiangshi in place. Peach wood — sacred in Chinese tradition — can harm or repel them. Glutinous rice, scattered in their path, burns their feet.
Other weaknesses include: the crow of a rooster (which signals dawn and yang energy), fire, mirrors (which reflect their unnatural appearance), and holding one's breath (jiangshi detect the living by their breath). This detailed system of weaknesses reflects the Chinese folk belief that every supernatural creature, no matter how terrifying, has a rational, knowable counter.
Jiangshi in Popular Culture
The jiangshi became a horror icon in 1980s Hong Kong cinema, particularly through the Mr. Vampire film series (1985). These films blended horror with comedy and martial arts, creating a genre that remains beloved in East Asia. The jiangshi's image — hopping stiffly, arms out, tongue lolling — became instantly iconic.
In modern gaming and anime, the jiangshi continues to appear, often reimagined for new audiences while retaining its core identity as a uniquely Chinese form of the undead.
Mythology Relationship
ConnectedEntities
The myths of Jiangshi weave through a larger web of gods, creatures, and legends.