yaoguai

Article

35 sections

Contents

Distinction between yaoguai and other supernatural beings in Chinese folklore
Attributes, powers and origins
General attributes
Typical powers
Origin
Disturbances to the moral and cosmic order
Born from anomalous or aberrant qi or energy
Absorptions of cosmic energy over a long time
Deliberate cultivation
Classical types and examples
Taoist folklore
Typology
Shapeshifters causing supernatural afflictions
Predatory beings
Creatures with spiritual cultivation
Demoted gods
Literature
Shenmo (lit. "gods and demons") genre of literature or mythic literature
Zhiguai (lit. "strange tales") genre of literature
Hu Hao Hao (lit. "what the fox loves to indulge in")
Etymology and disambiguation
Etymology
Classical usages
Later usages
Disambiguation
Psychological underpinnings
Comparison to Japanese yokai
Comparison to Western demons
In popular culture
Modern adaptations in Chinese cinema and culture
Western adaptations
See also
Broader entries
Creature-specific entries
References

thumb|240px|Creatures depicted in Luo Ping's Gui Qu Tu (; )

Yaoguai () represent a broad and diverse class of ambiguous creatures in Chinese folklore and mythology defined by the possession of supernatural powers and by having attributes that partake of the quality of the weird, the strange or the unnatural. They are especially associated with transformation and enchantment. They often dwell in remote areas or on the fringes of civilization where they produce all manner of unexplainable phenomena and mischief. They often have predatory or malevolent tendencies.