Jiangshi, the Chinese Hopping Vampire

October is upon us! A very special special month for this blog, October and, more importantly, Halloween are treasure troves of inspiration for post topics. With everything that goes bump in the night being low-hanging fruit for material, its hard to choose a topic for the week. In the end, I’ve chosen to go with a classic creature of the night, with a cultural twist. From Bram Stroker’s iconic Dracula to Stephenie Meyer’s upsettingly popular Twilight series, vampires are a pervasive symbol throughout western culture. But, its that last detail that some people often draw the line at. Many depictions of vampires throughout pop culture represent them as these uniquely European creatures. This post should enlighten readers to the existence of one of the most well known eastern interpretations of the classic vampire: The Jiangshi.

The Facts

Jiangshi are a creation of Chinese folklore. Sometimes known as hopping vampires, depictions of appearance and behavior of these entities differ starkly from western vampires. The legend of the Jiangshi is thought to have originated during the time of the Qing dynasty. When workers would travel far from their home a specialized coroner would carry the bodies home, and terrain along their journey’s would make it appear as if the corpses were bouncing. As such, the most recognizable depiction of a Jiangshi is of a corpse dressed in the robes of a Qing official with stiff arms and pale green skin.

The Legends

Like most depictions of vampires, the Jiangshi is an undead creature. The means by which they become a Jiangshi can vary according to the legends, however. There are the common trends such as the use of magic to bring a body back and the possession by a spirit. However, a more uniquely Chinese mythology around the creation of a Jiangshi dates back to the Qing Dynasty as well. The Qing Scholar, Yuan Mei, posited that the body was controlled by evil and good forces, and that when the soul passes it removed the goodness from the body, allowing the evil to take over and bring the corpse back as a Jiangshi. These Jiangshi would be brought back to life, residing within tombs and coffins the same as European vampires. However, when they emerge they are more corpse than many western depictions of vampires. Still stiff with Rigor Mortis, a Jiangshi hops stiffly, keeping its arms outstretched to balance itself as it approaches its prey.

Pray brings about the question of what exactly Jiangshi feed upon. Yet another difference between the Jiangshi and western vampires come from this topic. Most people in the west know vampires as being that feed upon the blood of their victims. The Jiangshi, again, are a distinctly more eastern creature when it comes to feeding. Rather than blood, the Jiangshi feed upon the qi (life force) of their prey. Qi is an eastern concept that is meant to be the energy that holds the body together from within, the Jiangshi feed on it either for sustenance or to become stronger themselves.

But the biggest concern when it comes to vampires and creatures like them is how to survive them, right? Luckily, there are a few options to deter a vampire. One interesting weakness that further connects the Jianshi to western vampires is their weakness to mirrors. The Jiangshi, unlike Dracula, are capable of seeing their reflections in mirrors. However, they are terrified of their own image and are said to retreat from it. Another weakness that is general to all Chinese spirits according to Yuan Mei is an aversion to the wood of a peach tree. Specifically, peach tree wood is capable of subjugating and warding off Jiangshi and other such spirits. With other weaknesses such as the call of a rooster (signifying morning), traditional Taoist talisman, and fire, the Jiangshi seem to have a plethora of ways to be defeated. However, there is one final thing that relates them to western vampires once more. Whereas the eastern vampires are said to be incapable of entering a home without permission in some lore, the Jiangshi have a similar restriction. According to feng shui, a six-inch plank of wood placed width-wise in a doorway can prevent the Jiangshi from crossing.

Its interesting to see some of the distinctions that the Jiangshi have from eastern vampires. I would say, though, that it is more interesting finding the connections between the two and how their myths seem to have parallels that are shifted to better suit the culture that the story originates from. Does that signify some collective subconscious that causes these stories to show up in multiple places throughout the world, or is it a sign that maybe, just maybe, the stories hold some truth to them?