Chinese Demonology. Flying Corpses, Hedgehog Seducers, and the Departments of Hell

Night mist descends from the mountains, and through torn clouds the moon shines like a pearl—just like the tears of the mermaid-jue nvyuy, according to legends. Your new friend Liao, a kindhearted man, asks the hostess for more wine and continues the story about Magistrate Sun, who was troubled by a drowning spirit-woman seeking revenge. Hearing your conversation, an elderly peasant at the neighboring table remembers how, once in the mountains, he managed to escape from a huge xiao. And a sweet serving girl, pouring wine, shares a story about strange events in the house of a student, Li, who was interested in demons and the gu magic—who disappeared without a trace.

Immerse yourself in an exciting journey through mystical China and discover the dark legends of this country.

You’ll be treated to captivating tales of more than 150 demons from Chinese mythology: vengeful ghosts, Chinese zombies, heart-and-belly spirits, monsters foretelling disasters, demonic insects, come-alive dolls, and the bureaucracy of the Chinese underworld.

Alice Atarova tells stories about mysterious beings from both past and present China—an expert in Eastern studies, a graduate of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) and of the University of Wuyishan (Wuyishan), a writer and translator, author of the blog “sha yi si.”