Revealing The Mystery Of Chinese Vampire
Here, we will reveal the mystery of Chinese vampire. Everyone must know the mythological creature Vampire. Vampire is known a creature that likes to suck blood and only come out at night because of fear of the sun. There are many versions of vampire legend in many parts of this world including in China. Chinese vampire is well-known as the Jiangshi ghost. Different from other vampires around the world, Chinese vampire has its own characteristics.
The Mystery of Chinese Vampire
As we know from many of the best Chinese vampire movies, the vampire moves by jumping up and down to search for prey. They can be nurtured and tamed with a kind of yellow amulet which is pasted on their foreheads. In many legendary stories, vampires are often associated with humans who have immortality for practicing witchcraft. They can stay that way by drinking human blood. It is different from Jiangshi ghost story.
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In terminology, the word “Jiangshi” itself means hard or stiff. This illustrates the figure of a living corpse that has become stiff. Unlike the vampire story in general that sucks blood in order to survive, it is said that Jiangshi ghost or Chinese vampire will eat the qi (the essence of life) of living things. It can be said that Jiangshi is a living corpse or zombie which is also a vampire (a mixture of zombies and vampires).
Many people are curious about the way Jiangshi ghost move. They move by jumping up and down while the arms stretch straight ahead. According to many mystery storytellers, this is related to the process of rigor mortis (the process of joints and bodies that become stiff when humans die). The stiff Chinese vampire that wakes up from the dead cannot move freely because his body is stiff due to the cycle of rigor mortis. Jiangshi ghost also moves by jumping with the straight hand in order to balance in motion.
Origin of Jiangshi Ghost Legend
According to many historical facts, many researchers of ancient mystery stories predict that Jiangshi ghost story dates back to the 18th century. This Jiangshi ghost dresses in a typical Qing Dynasty. The story starts with the number of dead workers' bodies that disappeared while on their way to their origin place. This event occurred during the Qing Dynasty. Some also said that the actual story about the disappearance of the corpses had no authentic evidence.
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However, the mystical story of Chinese vampire indeed related to the process of delivering the bodies of the workers at that time. In order to respect them, the bodies then were placed in a kind of China coffin. The coffin was lifted and carried over the shoulders of people while walking down the street at night. They deliver these bodies at night because they are forbidden to walk during the day. The corpse in the coffin was shaken up and down when carried. That was the origin of the ghost story of the Jiangshi ghost.
The legend of this ghost is then narrated by many parents from generation to generation. From here, a lot of Chinese society's beliefs about this mythical figure begin to emerge along with the way to deny it. Some people believe that Jiangshi ghost can be attenuated with some objects. Most Chinese amulets are like wood from peach trees, poultice mules, I Ching Scripts, Bagua symbols, mirrors, and much more. Therefore, many people in China keep the object as the media of rejection of the Jiangshi ghost.