Jiang Shi of the Orient
Chinese, Japanese and Korean culture revolves around ancestor worship. When the burial rites are ignored, the body will return to life as jiang shi to avenge its improper burial murdering those responsible - its family. However, there are methods of zombie being created, for e.g. spiritual possession, lighting struck, a pregnant/ black cat leaping across the coffin, absorption of yang (male) energy. These Chinese vampires kills with its touch and absorbs the qi (the Chinese version of life force) draining the blood in the process.
Jiang shis' method of movement is rather comical as it hops with its arms outstretched in front of it (hence, giving its name jiang shi, which literally means "stiff corpse" in Chinese). However, its general appearance can be downright horrifying as legends claim they have green skin and long hair. Details are in case are different as it depends on how far it had decomposed.
While the exact origin of the creature is unknown, it is generally believed to be related to the practice of "walking a corpse over a thousand miles" or "driving corpses in Xiangxi". This practice, most common in Xiangxi, involves two men carrying a corpse on poles and it looks as if the corpse is hopping down the street in an effort to bring it home for burial. There have been numerous Chinese texts that discusses the origins of jiang shi (as the supernatural creature, not as the myth) and the methods of killing one published over centuries.
There are numerous methods for defeating a jiang shi; some have made it into common Chinese burial practice. In the past, it was not unusual for the corpses to be bound during burial to prevent it from leaving its coffin. When a jiang shi had already been formed, superstition comes into play. For example, feng shui elements such as a ba gua (feng shui compass), i ching (a book of devination) or a peach wood sword (which epitomizes the five elements) can deter jiang shis. They also afraid of fire, their own reflection and roosters' call amongst many other things.
Kali is one of the most renowned deities
in Hinduism and she had appeared in the Atharava Veda which dates back to at
least 1500 BCE. Kali first gained a taste for blood when she killed the
demon Raktabjia as every drop of its blood would spawn demons. Hence,
when Kali killed him, she also drank all his blood. From this point on,
she had always been depicted as literally bloodthirsty and vampric
and extremely destructive. Even today, she is honored by practicing
Hindus with a blood sacrifice.
Kali's appearance in Hindu
texts is downright horrifying. She is commonly depicted with black skin,
four arms and holding a collection of weapons and dismembered body parts (a
severed head being a common fixture). Her necklace is made of human
skulls while her skirt are built of human limbs. Her tongue is normally
hanging and dripping with human blood.
As a powerful goddess, Kali cannot be
easily stopped and efforts are made to appease her and keep on her good side.
Despite her sometimes horrific actions, she is generally a benevolent
goddess in Hindu myth and many worship her in hopes of protection from death
and fear. In myth, she is also described as having great affection for
children and this had calm her from her drunken (from blood) frenzies.
Kali the Destroyer of Hinduism
Kali is one of the most renowned deities
in Hinduism and she had appeared in the Atharava Veda which dates back to at
least 1500 BCE. Kali first gained a taste for blood when she killed the
demon Raktabjia as every drop of its blood would spawn demons. Hence,
when Kali killed him, she also drank all his blood. From this point on,
she had always been depicted as literally bloodthirsty and vampric
and extremely destructive. Even today, she is honored by practicing
Hindus with a blood sacrifice.
Kali's appearance in Hindu
texts is downright horrifying. She is commonly depicted with black skin,
four arms and holding a collection of weapons and dismembered body parts (a
severed head being a common fixture). Her necklace is made of human
skulls while her skirt are built of human limbs. Her tongue is normally
hanging and dripping with human blood.
As a powerful goddess, Kali cannot be
easily stopped and efforts are made to appease her and keep on her good side.
Despite her sometimes horrific actions, she is generally a benevolent
goddess in Hindu myth and many worship her in hopes of protection from death
and fear. In myth, she is also described as having great affection for
children and this had calm her from her drunken (from blood) frenzies.
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