Do you feel that sudden chill in the midnight wind? Or have you been hearing things go bump in the night since of late?
Given that the Hungry Ghost Festival is fast approaching, it’s no surprise that the superstitious among you are on edge.
While Japan and Thailand have something of a monopoly on the terrifying Asian ghost market, the Chinese too have their fair share of blood-curdling tales to tell.
Here is a list of the many creepy creatures that the odd Chinese grandmother would take great delight in scaring her grandkids with:
1. Nu gui
Literally meaning “female ghosts”, like the Pontianak of Malay folklore, Nu gui prey exclusively on men, seducing them and hypnotising them into a sense of security before devouring their life force.
In some stories, they are said to be the vengeful spirits of women who suffered injustice before their suicide.
They are said to bear the appearance of a pale-skinned but beautiful woman with long dark hair, garbed in flowing white robes.
Avid fans of horror movies will know that this ghastly appearance has since inspired many filmmakers.
2. Ba jiao gui
A Chinese ghost that is surprisingly more known in Southeast Asian communities than in mainland China, this ghoul has the somewhat hilarious name of “banana ghost”.
Believed to be feminine, they apparently live within banana trees and can often be seen sobbing under the tree at nightfall, sometimes cradling a baby.
One can supposedly enslave this ghost by tying a red string around the tree, sticking needles into its trunk and tying one end of the string to their beds.
Gamblers desperate for winning lottery numbers are often unscrupulous enough to do this, forcing the spirit to help them strike the lottery.
As the stories go, if they aren’t set free despite fulfilling their captor’s wishes, things can turn ugly and deadly.
3. Mao gui
The mao gui, or cat ghosts, are vengeful spirits of felines taking out their rage on all humankind for their transgresses against cats.
Supposedly, cats were often sacrificed in ancient times, and as a result, the Mao Gui understandably have an axe to grind.
While they may look like an ordinary cat from a distance, these fearsome felines have murder in their eyes and will do everything in their power to make life a living hell for their tormentors.
4. Di fu ling
Stories about ghosts being tied to a place they were familiar with during their lifetimes is common in Western culture.
The di fu ling, or earthbound spirit, is similar in that regard as they are tied to a physical spot and are unwilling to move onto the next plane of existence.
Unlike their more malevolent colleagues, these ghosts will leave you alone as long as you leave them alone too.
5. Diao si gui
Appearance-wise, these ghosts might look comical as their tongues are so ridiculously long, it is perpetually hanging out.
However, they are a malevolent lot, being the tortured spirits of people hanged to death.
They resemble corpses, with a long red tongue sticking out, and normally, they will harass the living by asking them to join them in the afterlife.
Eye contact with these creatures is inadvisable, as they can apparently hypnotise victims into hanging themselves.
6. Hua pi gui
With a name that literally means “painted skin ghost”, this spirit is extremely dangerous.
Green-skinned and equipped with huge teeth, they devour human beings, using the skin of their victims as a disguise to lure other victims in.
These spirits are said to be the ghosts of women wronged during their lifetimes, whose vengeful spirits remained in their bones long after their flesh had decayed.
7. Shui gui
There’s a reason why superstitious Chinese grandparents go berserk when their grandkids even suggest going to the beach during the Hungry Ghost Month.
The shui gui, or “water spirits”, are said to be particularly active during this time, lurking in the water in wait of prey.
They are the lost souls of people who died at sea, and by seizing a living person immersed in water, they will have a physical body to take possession of.
While they sometimes end up drowning their victim, they occasionally hijack their victim’s body, forcing their victim’s soul to continue the search for a new body.
8. Wutou gui
These headless spirits are said to be the wandering souls of people who were decapitated, either deliberately or by accident.
They perpetually search for their heads, sometimes approaching and scaring the occasional passer-by asking them where their head is.
The luckier ghosts have their heads with them, but carry them around by their side rather than attached to their necks.
9. Gao huang gui
A ghost that seems to be more of a metaphor for depression than a restless spirit, it is said to reside within human beings rather than wander in the physical world.
Supposedly housed between the heart and the throat, it torments its human host by creating dark and depressing thoughts.
This is done to destroy their host emotionally and mentally, with the ultimate being to entice their human host into committing suicide.
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