Jiangshi

**Jiangshi** are undead creatures from Chinese lore that have similar characteristics to Vampires and Zombies.

## **Characteristics**

They are said to be created when a person's soul (魄 pò) fails to leave the deceased's body. However, some have disputed the comparison of Jiangshi with Vampires, as Jiangshi are usually mindless creatures with no independent thought.

They kill living creatures to absorb their *qi*, or "life force; soul", usually at night, while during the day, it rests in a coffin or hides in dark places such as caves.

The more souls they consume, the stronger they get; their physique increases in size and mass, and it gets the capability of speech (in their weakened form, they are mute). When they absorb enough life energy, they can shed its blindness and pursue its victims even more.

The Jiangshi are said to be raised by a necromancer, or when the soul of a dead man cannot leave his body due to reasons in life, such as they were a horrible troublemaker, or if they commit suicide. The body looks different due to when they were raised. If they are raised soon after death, their appearance looks almost like a normal human, however if they have decomposed some time before they come to life, they can look horrific and ghastly.

## **Similar** **Creatures**

Similar creatures include:

* **Geung-si** (Southern China)
* **Cuong Thi** (Vietnam)
* **Gangsi** (Korea)
* **Kyonshi** (Japan)
* **Phi Dip Chin** (Thailand)
* **Hantu Pocong** (Malaysia)
* **Vampir Cina** (Indonesia)
* **Ch'ing Shih** (Northern China)
* **Ch'iang Shih** (Northern China)
* **Kouei** (unknown)
* **Gaing Shi** (unknown)
* **Kiang Shi** (unknown)
* **Xianhshi** (unknown)

## **Powers and Abilities**

* **Super Strength**- A Jiangshi is very capable of ripping the heads off their victims. Their strength increases with every soul they consume.
* **Super Agility**- In their weakened state, they are incapable of moving their limbs, but once they consume enough souls, their flexibility and dexterity are enhanced.
* **Super Senses**- They are almost blind in their weakened state, however they can overcome this handicap by feeding on souls, but they possess enhanced sense of hearing and smell.
* **Super Stamina**- Being undead, they cannot tire or become fatigued easily.
* **Immortality**- Since they are undead, they technically aren't alive nor dead.
* **Minimal Invulnerability** - Jiangshi are invulnerable to conventional forms of harm, they can however be killed by sunlight, being stabbed with a wooden sword made from a peach tree, or by being burned.

## **Weaknesses**

* **Sunlight** - Jiangshi greatly fear sunlight, any contact with sunlight will destroy them.
* **Wooden Sword from a Peach Tree** - Stabbing a Jiangshi with a specially crafted sword made from the wood of a peach tree will kill them.
* **Salt**- Salt is incredibly painful to the Jiangshi, their flesh will corrode when in contact with it.
* **Fire**- Burning a Jiangshi is an effective method of destroying them.
* **Garlic** - Like salt, garlic is very corrosive to the flesh of a Jiangshi.
* **Urine of a Virgin Boy** - The urine of a virgin male will burn the flesh of a Jiangshi.
* **Blood of a Black Dog** - Putting the blood of a black dog on their forehead will immobilize them.
* **Mirrors** - Jiangshi are very afraid of their own reflections and can be repelled with a mirror.
* **Magic**- Placing a Taoist talisman etched with Chinese spellwork on the forehead of a Jiangshi will immobilize them.