The Chinese ghost has been deeply embedded in Chinese culture and folklore since ancient times.

Chinese Ghosts – Fact or Fiction?

Ghosts are commonly featured in Chinese folklore. Ghost stories existed as part of the old oral tradition during the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BCE) and expanded further as Chinese literature began to flourish. Ghost stories continue to be popular today, not just in China but also in the Southeast Asian region.

Chinese character for the word “Ghost”

Generally, the ghost is perceived to be the non-corporeal manifestation of a person who has died. According to folklore, Chinese ghosts are usually malevolent in nature, cause harm and create chaos for the living. The ancient Chinese were huge believers in ghosts as they thought that when a person died, their soul would journey across a bridge to the afterlife.

During this crossing of the bridge, the deceased would be judged if they were worthy. If they had lived a life of virtue, they could continue on. Once they reached the other side, they either took rebirth as human beings or animals, or went to live with the Gods, depending on their beliefs.

The bridge where the dead will be judged

However, if they had performed evil deeds, they would fall from the bridge into Hell. Each of the eighteen levels of Hell had specific punishments for different sins. Thus, knowledge of the punishment awaiting wrongdoers in the afterlife brought relief to those wronged.

The Hell realm is known for serving justice in the afterlife

Traditionally, society recognised the existence of ghosts as a natural extension of ancestor worship. This stemmed from the belief that death is not the end but just a journey to one’s continued existence in the next life, according to Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

Buddhists, for example, believe that those who have passed away will take rebirth in one of the Six Realms – the God, Demi-God, Human, Animal, Spirit and Hell realms. Confucians, on the other hand, believe that those who have led a virtuous life will dwell with the Gods and can be invoked upon for assistance or protection.

The Origins of Chinese Ghosts

The origins of Chinese ghosts can be traced back to the pre-Qin Dynasty (221 to 206 BC) and was initially spread by word of mouth. By the time the written word and literature was developed, the “ghost culture” literally came alive. Some of the more well-known ghost literatures are ‘Notes on Searching Deities’ (搜神記), ‘The Story of Chinese Gods’ (封神传), and ‘Journey to the West’ (西遊記).

‘Journey to the West’ tells of the legendary pilgrimage of a Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk, Xuanzang, who travelled to the Western Regions to secure sacred Buddhist texts.

‘Journey to the West’ is about the legendary pilgrimage of a Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk, Xuanzang, who travelled to the ‘Western Regions’ (India) to secure sacred Buddhist texts. He returned after many trials and much suffering. It was Buddha who gave him this task and provided him with three protectors who agreed to help him as atonement for their own sins. They were Sun Wukong, Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing, together with a dragon prince who acted as Xuanzang’s steed, a white horse.

Culturally, the ancient Chinese believed that the first step in the journey after death was the funeral. Thus, it was essential that proper funeral and burial rites were performed for the deceased, for a mistake could cause their soul to be unhappy and they could return to haunt the living.

Proper burial rites had to be carried out by a qualified person, like a monk or a Taoist master.

Fear of unsettled spirits returning resulted in rules and regulations being implemented to ensure that all deaths were officially reported and funeral rites were performed accordingly. These applied to both royalty and commoners alike. The penalty for failure to report a death was exile or hard labour.

According to traditional Chinese literature, apart from improper burial rites, souls of the deceased could also return to haunt the living if they had unfinished business, unfulfilled vows, a desire to right a wrong, or just to visit.

The two parts of the soul that are said to return to cause havoc for the living are the ‘Po‘ and ‘Hun‘. Based on the history of Chinese writing, the character for Po 魄 “lunar brightness” appeared before Hun 魂 “soul; spirit”.

Ancient art piece depicting the Hun and Po

The Po is the yin aspect of the soul, associated with darkness, water and earth. It is the animal nature of Man, whereby instincts and urges are the first to become apparent after birth. Conversely, the Hun is the yang aspect of the soul, associated with light, fire, and Heaven. It governs Man’s intelligence. At birth, it is weak but eventually strengthens as the ability to reason becomes more developed, especially after the age of six when education begins, and reaches full maturity at the age of 20. These two parts of the soul are the essence of what gives a person life. Hun (reason) governs Po (instinct) but Hun also needs Po to survive.

Stories of ghosts haunting their relatives, former residences, or appearing to strangers for help are all examples of Po hauntings, where the yin spirit is still attached to the earth because proper funeral rites were not observed to set it free. One of the best known stories of this type is about the ghost of a young girl who visited the home of some brothers. The spirit was so irritating that they caught it, put it in a bag, and threw it down a well.

The next night it came back, carrying the bag, and haunted them again. They stuffed it back into the bag, tied a rock to it, and threw it in the river. The next night, though, the little girl came back once again. This time, the brothers put her into a hollowed-out log, which they capped on each end, and set it adrift on the river. The spirit thanked them for a proper burial and never bothered them again.

Ghost sightings were recorded as far back as 827 BCE during the era of King Xuan of Zhou. At the time, they were believed to look like oxen and horses.

Hun hauntings are different because Hun is not attached to the body like Po. Stories about spirit possessions, ghosts appearing as if they were still living, or ghosts taking revenge on the living are examples of Hun hauntings.

In one story, two friends, Gao and Liu, made a pact that whoever died first would return to tell the other what the afterlife would be like. Some months after Liu died, Gao heard a knock at his door one night. The voice of his friend requested that he douse the lamps and let him in so they could speak in the dark. As they were talking, Gao was disturbed by the smell of a rotting corpse. He later found that Liu’s Hun had possessed the body of a barbarian who had been dead for seven days.

In another tale, Marshal Li wanted to marry a young girl but was rejected by her mother. In a bid to win her over, Li vowed he would never marry if he could not marry her. He proved himself so devoted and persistent that the girl’s mother finally agreed to the marriage and he swore to be faithful forever. After a few years, the girl died.

Only a year after his wife’s death, Li arranged to marry someone else. Just before his marriage, as he was soaking in a bath, the Hun of his first wife appeared and reminded him of his promise that he would always remain faithful. She then sprinkled some herbs into his bath water and vanished. Li began to feel weak and became so bloated that he could not move. He died in the bathtub and when he was found, his bones and tendons had dissolved. This story serves as a lesson to fulfil promises made, not just to the living but also to the deceased. It also highlights the importance of observing the proper mourning period.

The words Po and Hun may be etymologically complex but in modern terms, they carry similar meanings to what we would generalise as Ghost or Gui (鬼).

Ghost Literature in the History of China

The story of Kua Fu chasing the Sun (夸父追日) is used today to describe a person who fails to achieve his goals because he overestimates his abilities.

In China’s long history, almost every dynasty has its own ghost legends.

The oldest ghost literature is the Shan Hai Jing (山海经) or ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’, a fable about pre-Qin Dynasty China and a collection of ancient fairytales. The exact author and date remains unknown but most sociologists in China think that it might have been authored by numerous writers between the Warring States period (475 BC – 221 BC) and the beginning of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD).

As one of the oldest Chinese classics, it contains vivid and detailed descriptions of medicines, animals and geological features, enabling readers to catch a glimpse of ancient China as it was thousands of years ago. This classic also contains many fairytales, which are well-known even today. One of these stories is that of a giant named Kua Fu (夸父) who ran from East to West in hopes of chasing and catching the sun. He did not complete his mission as he finally died of extreme heat and exhaustion, and his club transformed into a forest.

Nuwa Repairing the Wall of Heaven is a popular folktale among the Chinese.

Another famous story is about Jingwei (精卫), the daughter of Emperor Yandi (炎帝), who drowned in the East Sea. After her death, she was transformed into a bird who brought stones and small twigs over the sea every day in an attempt to fill it. The Shan Hai Jing also contains other famous stories such as Xing Tian Fighting Against the Supreme Divinity (刑天舞干戚) and Nuwa Repairing the Wall of Heaven (女娲补天).

Another famous Chinese ghost literature is Notes on Searching Deities (搜神記), a compilation of legends about ghosts and spirits. The author is believed to be Gan Bao (干宝), a historian living in the 4^th century. It consists of 464 short stories, some of which are still known today. For instance, there is the story of a filial woman who was accused of killing her mother-in-law (who in fact committed suicide) and was subsequently sentenced to death. After she died, her blood miraculously flowed upwards (instead of downwards) as she had predicted before her death, thus exposing the injustice.

During the Tang Dynasty, many ghost stories emerged like the story of Meeting Ghosts One Night in Dongyang (东阳夜怪录). In this tale, a man who was travelling went to a temple to stay for the night. In the dark temple, he met several other people and chatted with them all night. When day broke, the man looked around and realised that the people with whom he had spoken were in fact animals that resided in the rundown temple – a donkey and a camel!

Another interesting story is the tale of The Governor of Nanke (南柯太守传). In this story, a drunk found himself in an unknown kingdom. There, he was bestowed great position and married the princess. In the end, the man woke up and realised that it was nothing but a dream. This story is so famous that it became an idiom “Nan Ke Yi Meng” (南柯一梦).

The story of The Governor of Nanke tells of the dream of Chunyu Fen (淳于棼), a previously successful and rich officer in the army who offended his general and was dismissed.

During the Qing Dynasty（1644 – 1911), more ghost stories were published. One of them is Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (聊斋志异). Written by Pu Songling, it is a collection of nearly 500 tales, mostly about the supernatural, where the ghosts are brave and honest while the humans are cowardly and greedy. Another book called He Dian (何典) tells of the legend of a ghost called Living Dead. Written in Wu dialect, the language is humorous although slightly vulgar.

With such a rich history, Chinese ghost literature continues to bring to life the culture and tradition of various Chinese dynasties in modern platforms such as movies and computer games.

Popular Chinese Ghosts

Here is a list of the more popular Chinese ghosts that most would have heard of or encountered before.

Shui Gui 水鬼 (Water Ghost)

Shui Gui (Water Ghost)

A popular but particularly dangerous ghost is the Shui Gui, the spirit of someone who drowned and whose body was never recovered or accorded a proper burial. Shui Gui are believed to haunt the waters so that they can move on when they have found a replacement.

According to lore, a Shui Gui possesses and drowns its victim’s body so that the victim takes their place. The victim’s soul then haunts the waters to lure and drown the next victim. This vicious cycle of “luring and drowning” continues and many Chinese swear by talismans and amulets when going near water or swimming to protect them from Shui Gui.

Another legend tells of a Shui Gui that was passed down from one generation to another. It began with the Shui Gui of Huangbo River who wished to find someone to take his place. It created storms, tore nets and bored holes in boats, but the fishermen of Yichang withstood every test. One night, the Shui Gui climbed aboard the boat of a fisherman named Zhijian and hid in a corner as Zhijian prayed for a good catch. When the fisherman leaned over the side to haul in his nets, the ghost pushed him into the freezing water.

Zhijian lost consciousness. The ghost pulled his body to shore, smeared his face with river slime and placed the ghost tablet on his tongue to prepare Zhijian for the spirit world. Then, the Shui Gui appeared in the Underworld to speak to Yen Lo Wang, Emperor of Dead Souls.

“I have found someone to take my place,” he announced.

But Zhijian was not dead. When he was certain that the ghost was gone, he removed the tablet from his tongue and placed it in his pocket. Then, he hurried home and bolted the door. Meanwhile, Yen Lo Wang looked in the “Book of the Living and the Dying” and saw that Zhijian’s name had not been entered. “Go back and take your rightful place!” Yen Lo Wang told the ghost. “And if you do not retrieve your tablet, you will never leave the river.”

The Shui Gui returned and frantically searched the village for Zhijian. Finally, at midnight, he found the fisherman’s cottage. When Zhijian answered the door, the Shui Gui began to weep. “Please return my tablet or I am doomed!” Zhijian had a big heart, but he said, “I will return your tablet if you ensure that my nets are always full.”

Naturally, the ghost agreed to this and from that day on, Zhijian’s nets brimmed with fish. After a while, the Shui Gui began to appear to talk to Zhijian. Before long, they became friends and Zhijian would invite the Shui Gui to his home to share food and conversation.

One evening, the Shui Gui announced that he would be leaving his friend.

“I saw an old woman walking along the riverbank. With one push, she will fall in and drown, and I shall change my fate. Sorry to say farewell.”

But Zhijian cried,

“Wait! You must not kill an innocent woman. Besides, what would I do without your help?”

The ghost thought a while and finally agreed to stay on for another three years without harming anyone. For the next three years, no one drowned in Huangbo River. The years passed swiftly and one evening, the Shui Gui told Zhijian that the next time he had a chance, he would pull someone into the river. “I cannot bear to live in the water forever.” He was desperate.

The next day, Zhijian noticed a young boy skipping along the riverbank. He quickly dropped his nets and rowed to the boy. “Go home. Your mother needs you now!” The boy went home right away. That night, the ghost appeared at Zhijian’s door shaking with rage. Again, Zhijian pacified the Shui Gui and persuaded him to not harm for another three years. Again, the Shui Gui agreed to wait.

Three more years passed, but one night the ghost announced the time had come.

“I care for you, friend, but I must help myself. There is a woman who plans to kill herself by throwing herself into the river. I will not stop her.”

Zhijian promised not to interfere but the next morning when he went down to the river, he was just in time to see a woman diving into the freezing water. He could not help himself and dived in after her, carrying her to safety. From a distance, the Shui Gui was watching and waiting for fate to take its course. But when he saw that the woman did not die, he did not rage. He told Zhijian he understood.

Now Yen Lo Wang, the Emperor of Dead Souls, had been watching and noticed the kindness and generosity of the Shui Gui of Huangbo River. He decided to recommend him for a promotion to the Jade Emperor. That evening, as the Shui Gui rose from the river, the Jade Emperor’s guards stopped him, saying that he would be appointed to a post at the Ch’eng Huang Temple and that he must come right away.

“May I invite my friend to the ceremony?” the Shui Gui asked, and the guards agreed. But when the Shui Gui reached Zhijian’s house, his friend was not there. So he left an invitation to the temple.

When Zhijian found the invitation, he hurried to the temple but when he arrived, the place was deserted. A fierce wind was blowing and the fisherman, tired from his long day of work and the journey, decided to take a nap while waiting for the Shui Gui. In Zhijian’s dream, he saw the Shui Gui dressed in the robes of Ch’eng Huang. His friend placed a bag of coins on the ground and bowed to the fisherman.

“You saved me from killing and I thank you, my friend. Though we shall never see each other again, I will always watch over you.”

When Zhijian woke, he found a bag of gold beside him.

Er Gui 饿鬼 (Hungry Ghost)

Er Gui (Hungry Ghost)

One of the most famous Chinese ghosts is the Er Gui. According to the Buddhist teachings, hungry ghosts are the spirits of people who always wanted more than they had, never grateful with what they were given, and thus, cannot find peace in the afterlife any more than they could when they were alive. They are often depicted as beings with enormous stomachs, tiny mouths and long thin necks.

According to legend, no amount of food can fulfil their hunger. Er Gui would appear to living people to ask for food and, if they were not satisfied, they would curse the person, bringing disaster to their homes and loved ones. The term “hungry ghosts” normally applies to this type of spirit but all ghosts are thought to be hungry in the afterlife. Hence, rituals were developed and performed to keep them “fed” and happy. The annual Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the ways to keep the hungry ghosts appeased.

Hua Pi 画皮 (Ghost of the Painted Skin

Many movies are based on the famous gruesome tale of the Hua Pi

Hua Pi is part of ‘Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio‘, the collection of supernatural tales by Pu Songling. In this creepy and gruesome tale, a scholar named Wang met a homeless girl who claimed to be an abused concubine. Captivated by her beauty and feeling pity for her, Wang agreed to let her stay in his home temporarily. He could not resist her feminine charms and he took her as his mistress, much to the dismay of his wife, Chen.

Later at the marketplace, a Taoist priest told Wang that an evil spirit had possessed him. Wang did not believe the priest and dismissed his claims. When he returned home, Wang made a startling discovery − his mistress was actually a “green-faced monster, a ghoul with great jagged teeth like a saw.” All this while, she had been wearing a mask made of human skin, on which her attractive features were “painted”.

Petrified, he begged the Taoist priest for help. The priest agreed but out of compassion for the ghost, he only offered Wang a charm meant to ward off ghosts and demons. This charm failed to ward off the Hua Pi. Instead, she became furious and ripped Wang’s heart out. Chen reported this to the priest who subdued the spirit, removed the “Painted Skin” and stored it away. His spouse, Chen, through much hard work, later successfully revived Wang.

Jiangshi 僵尸 (Vampires)

Jiang Shi in the movies

Translated as “stiff body”, the Jiang Shi is a type of zombie who steals the life force of a person. The Jiang Shi is so stiff that it cannot bend its limbs or body, and moves around by hopping with its arms outstretched for stability. The Jiang Shi is usually depicted wearing a Chinese-style robe and a tall hat, typical of a Qing Dynasty official, and with a paper “sealing spell” talisman stuck to its forehead.

Jiang Shi are believed to have greenish-white skin. One theory states that the greenish complexion is due to the fungus that grows on corpses. This Chinese vampire is also believed to have long flowing white hair and may behave like an animal.

In the traditional sense, Jiang Shi feed solely on the “qi” (life force) of a living person for sustenance and power. However, due to influences from Western vampire stories, the bloodsucking aspect was introduced to this Chinese ghost character in the modern day version.

Nu Gui 女鬼 (Female Ghost)

A typical Nu Gui looks beautiful and seductive

The Nu Gui is a vengeful long-haired female ghost in a white dress. In Chinese folklore, this ghost is the spirit of a woman who committed suicide while wearing a red dress. Traditionally, the colour red symbolises anger and vengeance. It is believed that she experienced some form of injustice when she was alive, such as being jilted or sexually abused and thus is returning to seek revenge.

Some ancient folktales tell of beautiful female ghosts who seduce men and suck their yang essence, sometimes killing them. This type of female ghost is similar to its Western counterpart, the succubus.

Yuan Gui 冤鬼 (Vengeful Ghost)

The Yuan Gui is dangerous and has the ability to kill and inflict tremendous pain.

Yuan Gui or vengeful ghosts are spirits of people who return from the afterlife to avenge their cruel or wrongful deaths. Such ghosts are believed to have existed in China as early as the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC– 256 BC) and were recorded in the historical text Zuo Zhuan (左傳).

Due to the circumstances of their deaths, these ghosts can neither rest in peace nor take a rebirth. These depressed and restless spirits roam the world of the living, constantly seeking retribution for their unjust deaths.

In some tales, Yuan Gui approach the living in an attempt to complete the unfinished business that prevents them from moving on. Others try to connect with the living to help them find clues or pieces of evidence which could provide evidence of their wrongful deaths, thus helping the Yuan Gui find closure to finally be able to move on.

You Hun Ye Gui 游魂野鬼 (Wandering Spirits)

You Hun Ye Gui experience suffering no matter where they are

You Hun Ye Gui, literally meaning “wandering souls and wild ghosts”, refers to wandering spirits of the dead. It is said that these ghosts have no living relatives or resting places, hence their need to roam the world of the living.

During the Seventh Lunar Month or Hungry Ghost Festival, ghosts are released from the Underworld into the world of the living. Such spirits include vengeful ghosts seeking retribution for their wrongful deaths (Yuan Gui), hungry ghosts (Er Gui) and playful spirits that could cause trouble during that period. Some could lose their way and are unable to return to the Underworld in time. So, they continue to roam the world of the living even after the Seventh Lunar Month.

Gu Hun Ye Gui 孤魂野鬼 which means “lonely souls and wild ghosts” also describes these ghosts, as it refers to the homeless or those who wander around aimlessly.

Wutou Gui 无头鬼 (Headless Ghost)

The Wutou Gui sometimes approaches people in hopes of finding its head

Wutou Gui are headless ghosts who roam the living realm aimlessly. They are spirits of people who were killed through decapitation due to various causes (e.g. execution, accidents, etc).

In some tales, the Wutou Gui approaches people at night and asks them where its head is. The Wutou Gui is also sometimes depicted as carrying its head at its side.

Diaosi Gui 吊死鬼 (Hanged Ghost)

Diaosi Gui

Fairly common in Chinese folklore, Diaosi Gui are the spirits of people who either committed suicide or are victims of execution. They are said to haunt the location where they died.

According to legend, they appear as corpses with long red tongues hanging out of their mouths and will try to convince passers-by to join them in the afterlife.

Gu Huo Niao 姑穫鳥

A traditional painting of Gu Huo Niao

A Gu Huo Niao is a woman who died during childbirth, subsequently becoming a creature with shape shifting abilities alternating between bird and woman. Due to grief from her grim pregnancy, this bird-woman creature craves for infants, especially males.

Gu Huo Niao is known for stealing male infants to make up for her emotional loss. It is said that those with newborn sons should not leave the baby clothes to dry outside at night. Otherwise, a Gu Huo Niao could find them and mark them with drops of her blood. If a baby wears these clothes, he will die and his spirit will go to the Gu Huo Niao.

Ghosts of Deceased Animals

Human beings are not the only creatures with souls that can return from beyond the grave. It is believed that dogs, cats and other animal souls can come back to seek retribution as well.

In one famous story, a man named Coffin Head Li was a bully who loved to kill cats and dogs. One day, two men approached Coffin Head Li and identified themselves as Hell Guards. They informed him that a case had been made against him in the afterlife by the souls of 460 cats and dogs. Coffin Head Li was subsequently found guilty and taken away to face judgement in the unseen world.

Ghostly Celebrations

Ghosts and spirits are so deeply entrenched in Chinese culture that practices and rituals were developed to protect people from them. As “Chinese ghost culture” is based on moral admonition in the afterlife, the best way is to live a life of virtue. This is one of the reasons why ghost stories are told to children, to teach them moral values and encourage them to be kind and courteous to each other.

For instance, if one does not want to be killed by a Nu Gui, one should not abuse women. If one goes swimming, one should be careful to avoid drowning and becoming a Shui Gui. Proper respect should be given to one’s elders, superiors and ancestors so that they will not feel wronged after death. One should always keep one’s promises. Most importantly, proper burial practices must always be observed, no matter how much cost or effort is required.

Qing Ming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)

A tradition still observed in China today is Tomb Sweeping Day during the Qing Ming Festival, which usually falls around April 5 each year. Even if one has neglected the graves of one’s parents, relatives or friends all year round, one must, at least, tend to the ancestors’ graves on Tomb Sweeping Day and pay one’s respects.

It is common practice for descendants of the deceased to bring flowers and offerings to pay their respects to their ancestors during the Qing Ming Festival

Hungry Ghost Festival

The Ghost Festival is the largest festival observed for ghosts in Chinese culture. This celebration, also known as The Hungry Ghost Festival, appeases the souls of the dead so that they will not bother the living during the time that the barrier between the land of the dead and living is “temporarily lifted”. It is celebrated on the 15^th day of the 7^th Lunar Month in China.

During the Festival, people prepare food in homes and in public places to feed the hungry ghosts and spirits. It is common to see altars piled with fresh fruit and sweet cakes in city streets and town squares. Incense is also burned in front of homes in remembrance of one’s ancestors and to give a pleasing scent to the spirits as they walk by. Many shops in towns, and even cities, will be closed during the festival so that shoppers will not disturb the ghosts.

There is a long list of taboos to keep in mind during the Hungry Ghost Month, especially during the festival.

• One should not sit in the front row at the theatre because those seats are reserved for ghosts and they will be offended if their seats are taken by the living.
• One should not place one’s shoes or sandals facing the bed because it is considered an invitation for ghosts to sleep with the person.
• One should not stay out too late at night or a ghost may follow one home.
• One should not go swimming because there are more Shui Gui during this period.
• One should avoid any kind of construction or renovation because the noise bothers the ghosts.
• One should not wear high heels as spirits are believed to be irritated by the sounds of clicking high heels and may possess the wearer.
• One should not hang clothes out to dry towards the evening because ghosts will try them on. This is believed to bring bad luck to the wearer.
• One should not urinate outdoors without seeking permission first because one might accidentally urinate on ghosts and anger them.
• One should not leave umbrellas open on one’s porch because a ghost might decide to rest under it and then, take up residence.

These traditions have a very long history and were observed as much as possible, even during the time when religion and religious practices were banned in China (c. 1949 – 1979 CE).

To this day, people still continue the tradition of making elaborate offering during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

As the festival approaches its end, people light small lotus lanterns placed on paper boats to be sent off in lakes or rivers. The lanterns are a message to inform ghosts that their visiting time is over and they have to return to the Underworld. The ghosts are believed to be attracted by the lanterns and will follow them back home to the afterlife. When a lantern goes out, it is a sign that the ghost following it has reached the other side and is at peace.

Ghost Marriage

Ancestor veneration in a patriarchal family structure has been at the root of Chinese cultural practices for thousands of years. The Chinese believe that the afterlife or netherworld is a place similar to the world of the living, where the dead can receive gifts and offerings sent by family members. Tablets representing the deceased are placed on family altars for ritual worship and offerings. It is believed that if these rituals are not carried out and continued, ancestors will become angry and can create havoc for their descendants.

Under the Chinese patriarchal family system, a woman was not considered part of her biological family. Upon marriage, she would be accepted into her husband’s family and after death, she would be honoured on her husband’s family altar. If a woman was divorced, she would no longer be considered as part of her husband’s family. Due to this, unmarried and childless women were believed to become Gu Hun Ye Gui 孤魂野鬼, as they had no family or descendants to honour them after they passed on.

In extreme cases, some women were not even allowed to die in their father’s homes. Their ancestral tablet would be placed outside or in a community shrine. However, sons who died before marriage would still be honoured on the family shrine. If a man were to remarry after his first wife had died, his current wife would need to honour his deceased wife.

Ghost marriage is a pragmatic solution to the issues arising for the deceased due to complex Chinese traditions that are steeped in filial piety.

Thus, the Chinese adopted ‘ghost marriage’ as a pragmatic solution to the issues arising for the deceased due to complex Chinese traditions that are steeped in filial piety. By marrying off the ghosts of the deceased, lonely or hungry ghosts could be prevented. Historically, ghost marriages were usually performed between a dead man and a dead woman. There are also instances of a living groom marrying a ghost bride, and in less common circumstances, a living bride marrying a ghost groom. Ghost marriage practices have been recorded as early as the Zhou Dynasty.

As ghost marriage is based on Chinese folk religion, Confucian officials with opposing beliefs made several attempts to ban it. However, the ban did not last. There are many written records of royal ghost marriages during the Tang Dynasty, leading scholars to believe that even more ghost marriages occurred amongst the commoners. The Ming and Qing Dynasties saw a revival of folk practices, and ghost marriage was reported to be popular once again.

Ghost marriage can occur between a deceased man and a deceased woman, a living groom and ghost bride, or in less common circumstances, a living bride and ghost groom.

Going beyond mainland China, research in the mid 1950s revealed that ghost marriage services were available from some Taoist priests in Singapore, and such marriages were frequently performed in local temples. Though not nearly as popular as it was in the past, the occasional ghost marriage still happens today.

Chinese Ghost Myths of Today

Without a doubt, Chinese ghost culture is not as strong as it used to be as many Western elements have been infused into it. Despite a decrease in rituals and rites for appeasing Chinese ghosts, several notable myths are still widely circulated, not just in China but also in Chinese communities all over the world.

The common myths are:

• When a pregnant woman tries to kill herself but survives, she will be able to see ghosts. It is believed that spirits wait close to pregnant women to enter the body of newborn infants. Having attempted suicide, she would be “gifted” with the power of extra sight and would most likely be haunted by the spirit who was to be her child.
• Dogs are known to be very sensitive to ghosts. It is believed that placing dog tears or cemetery mud onto one’s eyes will grant the ability to see ghosts.
• Opening an umbrella indoors is an open invitation for ghosts to drop by and take residence. This act is most unwelcome by many Chinese families.
• Wearing a hat that covers both eyebrows will cause one to find a haunted place.
• Mirrors can reflect both humans and ghosts, and ghosts usually do not tolerate vanity. So, combing one’s hair in front of a mirror at midnight is believed to give one the ability to see the unseen.
• Going to a graveyard at dusk and looking through one’s legs is said to be a sign of disrespect. By doing this, one will be able to see the dead.
• The burning of joss sticks at graveyards is a sign of respect. To see ghosts, one can take a lit joss stick from a grave, throw it on the ground and then rub the ashes on oneself. This is the ultimate sign of disrespect which will anger the dead, and they will definitely appear to the person who is guilty of such disrespect.
• Use an Ouija board. This is used to summon spirits and communicate with the dead.
• A cornea transplant from a dead person is said to grant one the ability to see ghosts.

Chinese Ghosts in Malaysia Today

Over the passage of time, as the Chinese settled throughout Southeast Asia, Chinese ghost beliefs have become as diverse as the cultures of the countries they settled in. Similarly in Malaysia, Chinese ghost stories have retained their essence but are infused with local traditions .

Ba Jiao Gui 芭蕉鬼

Ba Jiao Gui 芭蕉鬼 which means “Banana Ghost” is a female ghost who lives in banana trees. She appears wailing under the tree at night, sometimes carrying a baby. In Malaysian folklore, greedy people would ask the Ba Jiao Gui for lucky numbers in hopes of winning a fortune.

Ba Jiao Gui is a ghost who lives in a banana tree

There is a unique way to lure the Ba Jiao Gui into agreeing to this deal. First, tie a red string around the tree trunk and attach the other end of the string to the bed. Then, stick some sharp needles into the tree. At night, the Ba Jiao Gui will appear and beg the person to set her free. In return, she will provide a set of winning numbers.

If the person does not fulfil their promise to set the Ba Jiao Gui free after winning, he/she will meet a horrible death. This ghost is similar to the Pontianak in Malay folklore.

Tambun Inn

One of the most well-known local ghost stories occurred in the infamous Tambun Inn, which is one of the most haunted places in the whole of Malaysia.

Tambun Inn was a popular hotel in the 1970s in Ipoh. It still exists today as an abandoned building.

Genting Highlands

There are many documented accounts of ghosts wandering the hotels, lights switching on and off, eerie whispers as well as shouts and screams from unknown entities.

Genting Highlands remains a popular tourist destination with locals and foreigners even though tales of alleged hauntings are plentiful

Buddhist Protection Against Ghosts

The most popular religions in Chinese communities – Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism – each have their own unique methods for countering spirits and ghostly disturbances.

In Buddhism, the simplest method of protection is to Take Refuge in the Three Jewels. Taking Refuge means developing faith in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. When one takes refuge in the Buddha, practises the Dharma and supports the Sangha, one is protected from many different types of spirit.

Nevertheless, there are cases where people still have the karma to experience spirit disturbances, although they have taken refuge in the Three Jewels. This means that additional protection, usually in the form of prayer or ritual, is required.

Tibetan Buddhism is one of the most powerful to counter all forms of ghostly and spirit disturbances.

Those who are disturbed by spirits or ghosts touching or pressing down on them, especially while they are sleeping, can hang a wrathful image of Dukkar above their beds. They can also do Dukkar’s practice daily or have a Dukkar Puja done for them.

Those who are adversely affected by seeing or hearing ghosts can do Sengdongma’s practice daily. They can also have a Sengdongma Puja done for them to help counter this type of disturbance.

Trakze or Karma Shugden is the most wrathful form of Dorje Shugden and is supremely effective to counter negative disturbances

For very severe cases, Trakze’s practice and puja are recommended. Trakze also offers very effective protection against black magic.

Another effective form of protection is the Tibetan Ruel. These are extremely effective against persistent harm caused by spirits, curses and black magic and offer powerful protection against the most malevolent spells.

Conclusion

Whether one believes in the existence of ghosts or otherwise, it is always good to be mindful of customs and beliefs. Just because one cannot see ghosts does not mean they do not exist. When dealing with such supernatural entities, one should not be afraid but treat them with compassion. As Buddhists, we can employ compassionate methods, such as performing pujas and making offerings, to generate merits that can be dedicated to these ghosts and wandering spirits to help them get out of their current cycle of existence.

Note: All articles published on the blog are conceptualised, approved and edited by H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche. For further assistance and any urgent enquiries, please write in to mail@tsemladrang.com.