Jiang Shi Yokai

**Jiang Shi Yokai** are a variation of the Undead Yokai who are also known as the Chinese Hopping Vampire.

## Physical Appearance

Jiang Shi Yokai are humans in appearance who have died under various causes. Generally, a jiangshi's appearance can range from unremarkable (as in the case of a recently deceased person) to horrifying (rotting flesh, rigor mortis, as with corpses that have been in a state of decay over a period). They have pale, sometimes greenish-white, skin, long clawlike fingernails, and a long prehensile tongue. They are usually dressed in Qing Dynasty robes. They also has a talisman that's attached to their Qing Guanmao hats. The talisman is usually over their faces.

## Description

Jiang Shi Yokai used to be humans before they had died. They all live in the Qing Dynasty which explains their attire being from that time period. Before they were buried, priests would put talismans to cover their faces. After some time past, many Jiang Shi Yokai have come back to life as an animated corpse. There are many reasons why they would come back to life. It could be that a person's soul fails to leave the body, usually due to an improper death, an act of suicide, simple desire for trouble or via Necromancy. Either way, even though they come back to life, their knees and elbows are stiff. Hence the name "Chinese Hopping Vampire" due to them hopping around instead of walking or running.

## Abilities

Here are the abilities that Jiang Shi Yokai can have in their arsenal:

* Blindsight
* Claw Retraction
* Conversion
* Defunct Physiology
* Enhanced Senses
	+ Enhanced Hearing
* Enhanced Strength
* Life-Force Absorption
	+ Chi Absorption
* Lunar Energy Absorption
* Prehensile Tongue

### Variations

* Blood Consumption
* Regulation - charm on forehead.
* Soul Absorption

### Associations

* Necromancy
* Undead Physiology
* Vampire Physiology
* Zombie Physiology

## Pop Culture

Jiang Shi are said to originated from the folk practice of "Traveling a Corpse Over a Thousand Li", where families who could not afford much in the way of traveling expenses for a deceased family member who died far from home would hire a Taoist priest to transport the body.

The priest would tack a talisman to the body's forehead, which would enable the body to find its way back to its original home for proper burial by hopping. Taoist priests would only transport the bodies at night, and would constantly ring bells to warn other nighttime pedestrians that a Jiang Shi was coming their way; the pedestrians, of course not wanting to be seen by a Jiang Shi, would vacate the area immediately. To protect themselves, the priests would wear a headdress that had a veil covering their faces; this way, the Jiang Shi they were transporting would travel alongside them without the temptation to devour the priest.

## Variations

### Undead Yokai

Jiang Shi are a type of undead in Chinese legends and folklore. Most jiang shi are created when a person's soul fails to leave the body, usually due to an improper death, an act of suicide, simple desire for trouble or via Necromancy.

### Vampire Yokai

Jiang Shi are also known as the "Chinese Hopping Vampire". One reason is because their elbows and knees are stiff, they hop around to move from one place to another. The reason they're called vampire is because of Western influence. Jiang shi absorbs life energy, but because of modern Western influence, some do now drain blood instead.

## Life in the Hidden World

Some humans have the ability to control the Jiang Shi Yokai via the talisman. This is because they come from a family of shaman who can control these yokai. Jiang Shi lives predominantly in the China Region of the Hidden City. Unlike standard Zombie Yokai, hopping vampires are severely affected by the symptoms of rigor mortis, making their joints, especially their elbows and knees, particularly stiff. Because of this, they must practice tai chi every morning to stretch. However, their joints always stiffen to some degree while they sleep, forcing them to hop around with their elbows and knees locked straight out. Jiang Shi Yokai are very skilled in martial arts and are able to perform various types including karate.

## Symbolism

The Qing Dynasty scholar Ji Xiaolan mentioned in his book Yuewei Caotang Biji (閱微草堂筆記) (c. 1789 – 1798) 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. Some causes are described below:

• The use of supernatural arts to resurrect the dead.

• Spirit possession of a dead body.

• A corpse absorbs sufficient yang qi to return to life.

• A person's body is governed by three huns and seven pos. The Qing Dynasty scholar Yuan Mei wrote in his book Zi Bu Yu that "A person's hun is good but the po is evil, the hun is intelligent but the po is not so good". The hun leaves his/her body after death but their po remains and takes control of the body, so the dead person becomes a jiangshi.

• The dead person is not buried even after a funeral has been held. The corpse comes to life after it is struck by a bolt of lightning, or when a pregnant cat (or a black cat in some tales) leaps across the coffin.

• When a person's soul fails to leave their deceased body, due to improper death, suicide, or just wanting to cause trouble.

• A person injured by a jiangshi is infected with the "jiangshi virus" and gradually changes into a jiangshi over time, as seen in the Mr. Vampire films.