63 replies to this topic

[Dusto]

Does anyone know a good source where I can learn some of the traditions concerning Chinese vampires. What's the Pinyin orthography for the term? "Gong shih," maybe? My knowledge is mostly based on film (Mr. Vampire and the like), but even some of the conventions of those movies confuse me, and I would like to learn more about the folk traditions on which the films are based. Thanks.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Hey.. chinese vampires are called "Jiang si" 僵尸 or "xi xue gui 吸血鬼" in chinese.. There are many movies on chinese vampires..

[Kulong]

Hey.. chinese vampires are called "Jiang si" ?? or "xi xue gui ???" in chinese.. There are many movies on chinese vampires..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually it's jiangshi 殭尸. Xixiegui 吸血鬼 refers to the "Western vampire". Also, 殭尸 jiangshi is more of a zombie than a vampire as it's an "undead", generally mindless corpse rather than a monster that sucks blood.

[janz]

there are no vampires in China since vampire stories originated in Romania(?) around 15th century(?).
if you want, you can check out modern Chinese vampire movie. "Vampire Effect".

[Borjigin Ayurbarwada]

Jiang shi are zombies not vampires. They don't have a soul and could not think.

[Kulong]

BTW, Jiangshi literally means "stiff corpse".

[Dusto]

Well, thanks everyone for the replies. I actually found a good deal of information using the spelling "chiang shih," which I'm guessing is Wade-Giles.

there are no vampires in China since vampire stories originated in Romania(?) around 15th century(?).

Not true. Check out book "The Vampire: a Case-Study," by Alan Dundes, which is an examination of revenant/vampire traditions across the world. The Chinese vampire (actually more of a revenant, I guess) shares a good number of characteristics with other vampire legends from around the world (such as the need to count rice, being produced by a cat jumping over a corpse, etc.), and it is possible that Eastern European ideas of vampirirsm were directly influenced by Chinese ideas about "chiang shih."

As far as the chiang shih not having souls, according to the research I've been doing today, the chiang shih is inhabited by the "po" or "p'ai," which is apparently the "irrational soul" that according to Chinese tradition inhabits the body from the time of being a fetus (as opposed to the rational soul, which enters the body at birth and leaves when the body dies, but which can also leave when the body is asleep).

[Kulong]

Well, thanks everyone for the replies.  I actually found a good deal of information using the spelling "chiang shih," which I'm guessing is Wade-Giles.
Not true.  Check out book "The Vampire: a Case-Study," by Alan Dundes, which is an examination of revenant/vampire traditions across the world.  The Chinese vampire (actually more of a revenant, I guess) shares a good number of characteristics with other vampire legends from around the world (such as the need to count rice, being produced by a cat jumping over a corpse, etc.), and it is possible that Eastern European ideas of vampirirsm were directly influenced by Chinese ideas about "chiang shih."

As far as the chiang shih not having souls, according to the research I've been doing today, the chiang shih is inhabited by the "po" or "p'ai," which is apparently the "irrational soul" that according to Chinese tradition inhabits the body from the time of being a fetus (as opposed to the rational soul, which enters the body at birth and leaves when the body dies, but which can also leave when the body is asleep).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I still fail to see how jiangshi came to be called "Chinese vampire" as jiangshis don't have the need to feed on blood and are mindless, quite the opposite of vampires. As I and many have said before, if you truly want to place an English label on jiangshi, calling it "Chinese zombie" would be much more appropriate.

[Dusto]

I still fail to see how jiangshi came to be called "Chinese vampire" as jiangshis don't have the need to feed on blood and are mindless, quite the opposite of vampires.  As I and many have said before, if you truly want to place an English label on jiangshi, calling it "Chinese zombie" would be much more appropriate.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, my background on the subject, until today, was admittedly a pretty Western one, dealing exclusively with Western folk traditions (as opposed to the popular representation in film. I'd read about Chinese vampires in relation to Western traditions, but very little.

The thing is, not all vampires (even of Western varieties) drink blood, and not all vampires have minds. The more general term is revenant, which basically just means someone who comes back from the dead. "Zombie" is a very culturally specific (Jamaican) term that is misapplied in its use in film. The term vampire, in its general sense (folk tradition, not film), actually applies pretty well to jiangshi. The main requirement is that they come back to life, but there are other motifs that fit well, such as inability to cross running water, the need to count rice, being produced by a cat jumping over the corpse, an attraction to its living family members, being produced by suicide, and many others. It seems to be a version of the same basic "story," so I think it's fair to use "vampire" as a cath-all term, if only to let people know the general idea of what you mean. If you want to be more specifically accurate, revenant is the best word.

[Kulong]

Well, my background on the subject, until today, was admittedly a pretty Western one, dealing exclusively with Western folk traditions (as opposed to the popular representation in film.  I'd read about Chinese vampires in relation to Western traditions, but very little.

The thing is, not all vampires (even of Western varieties) drink blood, and not all vampires have minds.  The more general term is revenant, which basically just means someone who comes back from the dead.  "Zombie" is a very culturally specific (Jamaican) term that is misapplied in its use in film.  The term vampire, in its general sense (folk tradition, not film), actually applies pretty well to jiangshi.  The main requirement is that they come back to life, but there are other motifs that fit well, such as inability to cross running water, the need to count rice, being produced by a cat jumping over the corpse, an attraction to its living family members, being produced by suicide, and many others.  It seems to be a version of the same basic "story," so I think it's fair to use "vampire" as a cath-all term, if only to let people know the general idea of what you mean.  If you want to be more specifically accurate, revenant is the best word.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's true that many modern words are misused if we research its origin. However, what is relevant is how it is used in our modern world.

To a gross majority of people, vampire is a blood-sucking monster while zombie is a mind-less "undead" corpse. With the modern definition, jiangshi actually fits the term zombie much more. However, I've always personally disliked saying something is "Chinese something" or "American something". We should just call it as it is because no two things are identical.

Also, I've never heard of jiangshi having inability to cross running water (as opposed to stale water?), need to count rice (***?), and being produced by a cat jumping over the corpse. But then again, all my knowledge of jiangshi came from Chinese movies and TV series. If you have any specific websites regarding these characteristics of jiangshi please feel free to share with us. Thank you.

[Tyler]

Actually it's jiangshi 殭尸.  Xixiegui 吸血鬼 refers to the "Western vampire". Also, 殭尸 jiangshi is more of a zombie than a vampire as it's an "undead", generally mindless corpse rather than a monster that sucks blood.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Such a movie has not come out in the west yet. What are the differences between the westerised vampire and the easternised vampire?

[Kulong]

Such a movie has not come out in the west yet. What are the differences between the westerised vampire and the easternised vampire?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Please refer to jiangshi as simply jiangshi. Calling jiangshi "Chinese vampire" is like calling Suzhou "Chinese Venice" or calling Pizza "義大利大餅"... I personally find that only those who are close-minded and/or lack knowledge regarding a certain topic would use such terms. Those who are respectful and knowledgeable would just use the original name as no two things are alike.

Anyway... with that said, jiangshi do NOT feed on blood nor do they turn into bats. Jiangshi are corpses that are brought back to life and they kill (and eat?) humans. Jiangshi can only move by hopping as their dead bodies are stiff. If you stop breathing (hold your breath), a jiangshi wouldn't know you were there. You can de-animate a jiangshi (though not permanently) by sticking a 符 fu on a jiangshi's forehead.

[Shadowfax]

When I think of Jiangshi, I often picture a green-face guy with his arms point straight to the front, dress up in Qing official costume.

Is this because ghost story was popular in Qing?

[Kulong]

When I think of Jiangshi, I often picture a green-face guy with his arms point straight to the front, dress up in Qing official costume. 

Is this because ghost story was popular in Qing?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm guessing the stories of jiangshi didn't begin until around the Qing dynasty. It's either that or the Chinese movie industry decided to use Qing customes because most people may not be familiar with earlier customes?

[Dusto]

It's true that many modern words are misused if we research its origin.  However, what is relevant is how it is used in our modern world.

To a gross majority of people, vampire is a blood-sucking monster while zombie is a mind-less "undead" corpse.  With the modern definition, jiangshi actually fits the term zombie much more.  However, I've always personally disliked saying something is "Chinese something" or "American something".  We should just call it as it is because no two things are identical.

Also, I've never heard of jiangshi having inability to cross running water (as opposed to stale water?), need to count rice (***?), and being produced by a cat jumping over the corpse.  But then again, all my knowledge of jiangshi came from Chinese movies and TV series.  If you have any specific websites regarding these characteristics of jiangshi please feel free to share with us.  Thank you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey, Kulong, I sincerely mean no disrespect in my use of the term "Chinese vampire." As I said in my previous posts, I'm mostly interested in this subject from a scholarly, folkloristic point of view rather than from a film/pop-culture point of view. In that context, I think it's important to use the most literally accurate definition of words, which is why I'm opposed to using the term "zombie," since that refers to a particularly Jamaican idea. I agree that using the term "jiangshi" is ideal in most cases, yet I also think that the term "Chinese vampire" is both (a) useful shorthand for conveying the general idea of what a jiangshi is to someone with no knowledge of Chinese culture and ( an accurate and appropriate term considering the great similarities between jiangshi tradition and other vampire/revenant traditions from around the world. The best resource that I can point you toward on this subject is not available online; it is a book called "The Vampire: A Case Study," by Alan Dundes, which is a collection of scholarly essays by folklorists from around the world discussing the various manifestations of the vampire/revenant in folklore. Based on the similarities in the lore surrounding these legendary creatures, it seems very likely that the western and eastern tales either share the same origin (whether Chinese, Eastern European, or otherwise), or that they at least mutually influenced each other. The motifs that I mentioned such as counting rice are largely unknown in popular culture (the body of knowledge based solely on films), but they occur in western and eastern folk traditions. So, while I think that it's best to be specific when possible and when everyone knows what you're talking about, I also think that vampire (or, better yet, "revenant") is a good catch-all term for undead creatures from any culture.

Here is a collection of information I managed to find on the Internet concerning jiangshi. I've cut and pasted from various websites. If you're interested in locating the specific, you should be able to find most of them just by going to Google and typing in "chiang shih" (I apologize for the use here, but the Wade-Giles spelling seems to be the most popular on the Internet, so most of the information I found uses that spelling) and clicking on every link in the first two pages of sites that pop up. Anyway, here it is, and a lot of these mention the lesser known traditions (such as the rice-counting):

The Chinese Vampire or Chiang-Shih has many aspects that are greatly different from western vampires.
There is a Chinese belief that there are two souls inhabiting every body.  The superior or rational soul, and the inferior or irrational soul sometimes called p'ai or p'o.
The inferior soul is the one that inhabits the body in its fetal stage; and at death, sometimes does not wish to leave the body. This creates the Chiang-Shih.
The Chiang-Shih's creation can be spurred on by a violent death, whether it be suicide, hanging, drowning, or suffocation; or it can be created by angering a spirit. Be sure to bury your relatives in a timely fashion, or else! Also keep animals away from the bodies. If a cat jumps over a dead body this can also create a Chiang-Shih.
The Chiang-Shih also have many differences from western vampires in the way that they act. They are irrational and driven by bloodlust. They have difficulty walking because of the pain and stiffness of being dead so they hop instead. They are far more pale and have very dark circles under their eyes. Some even have a libido and will sexually assault their victims in addition to their bloodsucking. They have great strength and have been known to tear the limbs from their victims.
There are many ways to subdue a Chinese Vampire. For one, if you are being chased by a Chiang-Shih try holding your breath, if they can't smell your breath they can't find you. Also Taoist priests are always best to have on your side they know all the incantations and charms to fend off the undead. They can make charms out of small yellow pieces of paper with writing in chicken blood that totally immobilize a vampire or ghoul when affixed to its forehead. Just don't tease the vampire, I know the temptation is huge but don't, because if that paper falls off, you have a deadly undead creature in your face again. Also stock up on uncooked sticky rice (not regular rice, that stuff don't work), dried red beans, and garlic because vampires hate this stuff.
The Chinese vampire, referred to as the Chiang-Shih or (Hopping Ghost) is more like a revenant or ghoul then the western ideal of a vampire. The reason these creatures are called hopping ghosts is not completely known, traditionally the chinese would bury their dead in special garments, these garment would bind the legs together, thus the creature would have to hop to move. The other believe is that perhaps these creatures hop because of the rigor mortis that has set in after death.
The Chiang-Shih are created when the soul or po of a person does not exit after the person dies. This usually happens when the person experiences a violent or extremely painful death, or when the soul has been angered, this is usually because of improper burial or improper preparation for burial. The soul can also become angered if the family fails in their obligation to pay the proper respects to a deceased family member, or if the grave has been disturbed. Something even as simple as being buried in the wrong spot can cause a person to become a Chiang-Shih, this is a notion from the belief in Feng Shui.
The Chiang-Shih are blind, they rely on their ability to sense the breath of their prey to track them. Traditionally the Chiang-Shih were believed to suck the breath out of their victims, in more modern movies they are just as likely to suck their blood of their victims.
There are also many prescribed ways to keep a Chiang-Shih at bay. Religion is perhaps the key center point for all of these beliefs, and Taoist and Buddhist priests are the primary workers in the art of destroying a Chiang-Shih. The main items used in defense against Chiang-Shih are death blessings, written on yellow paper and stuck to the forehead of the Chiang-Shih, this would successfully immobilize them. Taoist mirrors (feng shui mirrors), glutinous rice, straw, and chicken blood are also an integral part of the chinese vampire hunters arsenal.
The Chiang-Shih are considered intensely powerful and hold many supernatural powers including powerful, gale force breath; sword-like fingernails; incredibly long eyebrows that can be used to lasso or bind an enemy; shape shifting; and the ability to fly.
Origins of Chinese Vamps
The chiang-shih is the Chinese version of the vampire. In Chinese belief, each person has two souls, a superior or rational soul and an inferior irrational soul. The superior soul could leave a sleeping body and appear as the body’s double as it roamed about. It could also possess and speak through the body of another. However, if something would happen to the disembodied soul during its journey, its body would suffer.
The inferior soul, on the other hand, was called p’ai or p’o and was that which inhabited the body of a fetus during pregnancy and often lingered in the bodies of the dead. It was thought to preserve the corpse. If the p’ai was strong enough, it could preserve and inhabit a corpse for a length of time, using the body to serve its needs. The body animated by the p’ai was called a chiang-shih.
Usually chiang-shih were created after a particularly violent death, such as a suicide, hanging, drowning, or smothering. It could also be a result of an improper burial, as it was thought that the dead would become restless if their burial was postponed after their death. The chiang-shih were not known to rise from the grave, so their transformation had to take place prior to burial.
Characteristics of Chiang-shihs
Chiang-shihs were nocturnal creatures and had difficulties crossing running water. It was said that they were particularly vicious and ripped the head or limbs off their victims. They were also said to have a strong sexual drive which led them to attack and rape women. After a period of growing stronger, chiang-shihs would gain the ability to fly, grow long white hair, and possibly change into wolves.
Protecting Oneself from Chiang-shihs
People protected themselves from chiang-shih by using garlic or salt. They were also driven away with loud noises, and it was thought that thunder could kill them. Brooms were used to sweep the creature back to its resting spot, while iron filings, rice, and red peas were used as barriers. If a chiang-shih reached its flying, white-haired stage, it could only be killed by a bullet or thunder. Its body must then be cremated.
Comments I've received
Thanks to Alan for this comment. If anyone has text references to these legends, please let me know.
1) Virgin Urine. It has been said that the urine from chaste virgins (usually boys) can repel and even "corrosively burn" chinese vampires. Much like holy water. Rationale is that virgin boys (usually boys not yet of puberty age) are chaste, therefore bearing "pure Yang energy" (Males are associated with Yang whilst females with Ying), hence have offensive effects on these vampires.

2) Regarding Chinese Vampires. Popularized beliefs include their form of movement, which is hopping while arms are stretched forward straight, due to rigidity of the dead body. Some people believe their vampiric abilities includes the ability to siphon Ying energy which it feeds on since it is a creature of Ying nature (hence its liking for dark environment). Note that the "hopping" habit is also popularized via old Hong Kong horror movies.

3) Talisman. According to folklore chinese vampires can only be effectively dealt with by a Taoist Priest. Usually villages that are 'infested' with vampire occurrences recruit a Taoist priest to perform a 'ceremony' to exorcise the negative energy. Taoist Priests traditionally rely on talismans-yellow paper strips with illegible characters written in red ink or blood. It is commonly believed that with incantations the priest can 'activate' the talisman, which can totally inhibit a vampire's actions when applied to it's forehead area, thus putting the vampire under a spell. The priest will then, after subduing the vampire(s), use a special bell, which with every ring, will command the vampires to take a single jump. Should the vampire be too strong to subdue, the priest usually draws upon a wooden sword, or a sword made entirely of copper coins linked by a red string as a weapon. Although Taoist priests nowadays do not go 'capturing' vampires, they still perform ceremonies of exorcism from "unclean spirits" and still commonly use talismans.

THE ORIGIN AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHIANG-SHIH

The chiang-shih seems to have originated as a means of explaining problems associated with death. The chiang-shih arose following a violent death due to suicide, hanging, drowning, or smothering. It could also appear in a person who had died suddenly, or as a result of improper burial procedures. The dead were thought to become angry and restless if their burial was postponed for a long time after their death. Also animals, especially cats, were kept away from the unburied corpse, to prevent them from jumping over it, lest they become vampires themselves.

The chiang-shih lacked some of the powers of the Slavic vampire. It could not, for example, dematerialize, hence it was unable to rise from the grave, being inhibited both by coffins and the soil. Thus their transformation had to take place prior to burial, an added incentive to a quick burial of the dead. The Chinese vampires were nocturnal creatures and limited in their activity to the night hours. The chiang-shih had trouble crossing running water.

The chiang-shihs were very strong and vicious. Reports detailed their attacks upon living people, where they ripped off the head or limbs of their victims. This homicidal viciousness was their most often reported trait. They usually had to surprise their victims because they had no particular powers to lure or entrance them. Besides their homicidal nature, the chiang-shih might also demonstrate a strong sexual drive that led it to attack and rape women. Over a period of time, the vampires gained strength and began to transform to a mobile state. They would forsake the coffin habitat, master the art of flying, and develop a covering of long white hair. They might also change into wolves.

In general, the vampire began its existence as an unburied corpse. However, on occasion there were reports of unburied body segments, especially the head, being reanimated and having an existence as a vampire. Also, reports have survived of the ever-present Chinese dragon appearing as a vampire.

People knew of several means of protection from a vampire. Garlic, an almost universal medicinal herb, kept vampires away. Salt was believed to have a corrosive effect on the vampire’s skin. Vampires were offended by loud noises, and thunder would occasionally kill one. Brooms were handy weapons with which a brave soul could literally sweep the vampire back to its resting spot. Iron fillings, rice, and red peas created barriers to the entry of the vampire and would often be placed around a vacant coffin to keep a vampire from taking it as a resting place.

If the vampire reached its transformative stage as the flying hairy creature, only thunder or a bullet could bring it down. In the end, the ultimate solution was cremation, the purifying fire being something of a universal tool of mankind.

A kiang shi is a deadly like vampire who drains the chi(life energy) out of your body. A way to defeat it is to take its left sock with a mushroom in it and throw it in the closest body of water you can find. The vampire can detect you by the smell of your breath but the more chi it get the more powerful it gets. Sometimes it can get to the point where they can see, talk and even withstand daylight

Every culture has some sort of vampire-like creature in it's repertoire. The classic characteristics are creatures that return from the dead (revenants)who must sustain themselves with the life energy of the living (blood, milk, semen, breath). With the arrival of the Twentieth Century and that wonderful medium we call film, the Western European vampire (based, of course, on the Eastern European tradition of the vampire) took center stage. Many cultures have adapted traditional folkloric figures along more Hollywood lines. Despite the borrowing of Western European imagery, the ethnic vampires maintain culturally specific traits.
Chinese vampires are based on the hopping ghost stories of Chinese folklore. Honoring the dead is an important cultural practice in China, and improper respect and service to the dead may result in the dead coming back to do more than simply haunt you. They may demand retribution.
The chiang-shih, or hopping ghost, is actually a revenant and not a ghost at all. The soul (po) does not depart from the body as it should and resorts to its basest instincts for survival. The po reanimates the body, and the body goes in search of sustenance. Like the Eastern European vampire, the chiang-shih also seeks out its own family, but it quite willing to munch on anyone else along the way.
I've asked several people why Chinese ghosts hop and I've yet to receive a definitive answer. My guess is I probably won't. Best guesses yet: the tradition of burying the corpse in a standing position suggests that it would hop. Some people believe that it's the nature of the burial garments (usually of the Qing - Ching- Dynasty) that essentially bind the legs together making it impossible to walk. Some people believe that it's because rigor mortis has set in and the joints have lost all flexibility making a hopping motion the only possible option for mobility. Others maintain that the hopping motion is symbolic of the ghost's attachment to the physical plane and the inability of the soul to move on. Really, what it all boils down to is this: more often than not, Chinese vampires hop.
Chinese vampires can't see. They rely on the ability to sense the breath of their prey to track them. Although tradition says that Chinese vampires suck the breath out of their victims, in the movies they're just as likely to use incredibly sharp teeth to chomp their victims, suck thier blood and eat thier flesh.
There are many ways to keep Chinese vampires at bay. Religion is important. Taoist and Buddhist magic are primary fonts of anti-vampire paraphernalia, including death blessings that must be stuck to the forehead of the vampire. This can be tricky as it often means that when being chased by a vampire, you've not only got to whip up a quick blessing, but you also have to get within arm's reach of the creature to attach it to its forehead. Makes for great slapstick humor in many of the Hong Kong vampire films that make up a chunk of the genre. Taoist mirrors (feng-shui mirrors), glutinous rice (purity), straw and chicken blood are all part of the Chinese vampire hunter's arsenal.
What causes someone to become a vampire? A curse can do it. So is being buried in the wrong (inauspicious) spot (again a feng shui notion), dying far from home and not being returned for burial. Dying far from home means that your body did not receive proper preparation for burial and your family is unable to pay you proper homage as a deceased ancestor. Having a family that fails in its obligation to bury you properly or pay you the proper respects as a deceased ancestor, a delayed burial or having your grave disturbed will also cause the return of the dead. Murder victims, suicides, and disappeared people were all likely to become vampires because of the violent nature of their deaths or the inability to trace the body for proper burial in the case of disappearances. Yin shock - a shock to the system caused by the dark and mysterious nature of yin energy - can also cause the corpse to come back as a vampire.
How to get rid of the vampire? Employ a priest to intercede. Return the body to its rightful burying place and ensure proper ancestral worship. Release the spirit. Use magic (usually Buddhist or Taoist mysticism) to bind the body to its coffin. Burn the body, although I suspect this is a last resort.
There seems to be two types of vampire films in China: those heavily influenced by Hollywood's aristocratic vampire (Dracula) and those heavily steeped in Chinese mythology. The Dracula-style vampires share many of the qualities of their Eastern/Western European counterparts. The chiang-shih vampires have an unusual array of superhuman powers, again a product of cross-fertilization. Chinese mythology and folklore is populated by demons and gods much like the greek and roman pantheons. They have multi-faceted relationships and are as likely as humans to be petty and spiteful. They also have unusual gifts that are a great source of special effects in many Hong Kong films. Among them are: powerful, gale force breath; sword-like fingernails; incredibly long eyebrows that can be used to lasso or bind an enemy; shape shifting; and the ability to fly. These are all traits that are often associated with the vampire, although shape-shifting tends to be more a ghostly trait (i.e., Bride with White Hair) than a vampiric one.
A Japanese friend who is a vampire fan and former editor/publisher of the Japanese edition of Fangoria Magazine told me that the aristocratic vampire found some popularity in China, Taiwan, and Japan after World War II when some American films began being distributed throughout these countries (of course, in some more than others). He insists, however, that the true source of the modern Chinese vampire is the popularity of the much-criticized Hammer Horror film, The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires (a.k.a. The Legend of the Seven Golden Samurai, Seven Vampire Brothers, and more), a western-style (as in the Old West) martial arts vampire film that takes place in Hong Kong (hey, can’t be any worse than Billy the Kid vs. Dracula). The film, while popular in Hong Kong, was considered a disaster and for many signaled the death knell of Britain's premier horror movie studio. A number of films were made in Hong Kong using the vampire as inspiration, the most well known and possibly most popular being the Mr. Vampire films of the 1980's, Saturday afternoon matinee style horror comedies a la Abbot and Costello.
Since most of the current films dealing with Chinese vampires come from Hong Kong, it will be interesting to see what happens as social conditions change there and Hong Kong films gain popularity in the U.S..
In China there are vampire-like creatures called Chiang Shih, which are created when a cat jumps over a dead person's corpse. They appear livid and may kill with poisonous breath in addition to draining blood. If a Chiang Shih encounters a pile of rice, it must count the grains before it can pass on. Their immaterial form is a sphere of light, much like Will-O-the-Wisps.
In an attempt to be less eurocentric, it's time for all of us to face the danger from the Far East: the scourge of the Chinese vampire.
The Chinese vampire is a whole 'nother kettle of fish from your ordinary, garden variety vampire, and takes a little bit of understanding. For example, the Chinese believe that every body is a townhouse. Downstairs lives the "pa'i," or inferior, or irrational soul. This is the soul that keeps things warm in the womb until the baby is popped out into the cold, cruel world.
At that point, the rational soul on the second floor takes over. Now, the Chinese rational soul is a very cool and peripatetic thing. It can hop out of the body and go on the town at night, or even sneak into some other body, provided that the soul that dwelt there is out for the evening and there's a vacancy. The living years are a good time for the rational soul. The irrational soul, however, harbors resentment because it has to stay at home and watch TV, and not even cable.
But every party has to end. Eventually, the body gives out like an old Chevette, and the soul has no choice but to step out and find new digs. At least, that's the rational way of doing things. But the irrational soul is irrational, so every now and then, it decides to take the wheel once the smart guy leaves and takes the corpse for a spin around the block. At that point, the corpse is considered a "Chiang-Shih," and no good can come of it.
Now, a few things to be aware of, here. First off, Chiang-Shihs tend to take place after especially violent deaths. The rational soul is thrown from the wreckage, and the spastic one leaps immediately into the cockpit. There's no burial time on this one; Chiang-Shihs have a difficult enough time moving, without trying to deal with six foot of sod above 'em. So, once they're planted, you're OK. The trick is to get 'em down there,
Now, you have this dead guy wandering around. Well, hopping around; the body isn't used to being dead, and the Pa'i isn't used to driving, so the feller just kind of hiccoughs along the street. This rather comic locomotion cheeses the deadguy off, and he tends to want to rip limbs from the living who make fun of his handicap. If he can catch them. Now, all depending on who you believe, catching 'em is all the Chiang-Shihs had to do - one touch from them was instantly fatal. Oh - one other thing. Sometimes they were a little... randy, and sexually assaulted their victims before giving 'em the old 'touch of death.'
There are a few things you can do if you end up with one of these guys in the neighborhood. Start with some protection: iron filings, rice, and red peas create a barrier they can not cross. Why? I don't know. That's just the way it goes. For more personal protection, people used garlic and salt. Once you were well armed, you faced the creature in mano-a-mano combat, and... using a broom, swept it to it's back to its grave.
That's what you did.
Sounds like a lot of hooey? Hey - the Chinese took this stuff seriously. Have you ever noticed that the entrances at temple have step-overs - doorways that start above the floor level, like hatches? Guess why. Umm-hmm. That's right. Too high for these guys to hop over. And 1.3 Billion Chinese can't be that wrong. So stop your sniggering.

In popular Chinese mythology, hopping corpses (僵屍 Pinyin: Jiangshi, literally "stiff corpses") are corpses whose touch can kill a living person instantly.
It came from the myth of "The Corpses who Travel a Thousand Miles" (千里行屍), which describes wizards who transport corpses over long distances to hop on their own feet back to their hometown for proper burial.
Some people speculate that hopping corpses were originally smugglers in disguise who wanted to scare off the law enforcement officers.
Jiangshi is also sometimes the Cantonese name for vampire (it is usually translated as xi xie gui or "blood-sucking ghost" in Mandarin). Hence a hopping corpse is also called a Chinese vampire. Chinese vampires were a popular subject in Hong Kong movies during the 1980s; some movies even featured both Chinese vampires and "Western" vampires. In the movies, hopping corpses can be put to sleep by putting a piece of paper with a spell written on it (Chinese talisman) onto their foreheads. Also, in the movies the hopping corpses are generally dressed in imperial Qing Dynasty clothes with their arms stretched out to catch and strangle victims. However, they can be evaded if one holds his breath as the hopping corpses track living creatures by detecting their breathing.
It is also conventional wisdom of feng shui in Chinese architecture that a threshold (Chinese:門檻), a piece of wood approximately six inches high, be installed along the width of the door to trip the hopping corpse so that it cannot enter the household.
"Gyonshee", a word based on the Japanese pronunciation of jiangshi, is used in some obscure games and trading card games as a term for creatures that combined the characteristics of Chinese and "Western" vampires.
The hopping corpse has recently appeared in a handful of films from Hong Kong that have seen Western release, including Geung si sin sang (Mr. Vampire) [1](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089371/).