What the Heck are Yaoguai???
Yaoguai (Pronounced "Yaow-Gweye") are a kind of spirit or ghost, that has changed by absorbing essences of the Sun, Earth, Heaven, and then change to be Supernatural.
One could discribe a Yaoguai as a Spector, Demon, Devil, or Even a Zomby.
An animal can become a Yaoguai.
A courpse can become a Yaoguai.
A Rock can become a Yaoguai.
Often, they study "The Way", and atain powerful abillities.
Yaoguai are found through out many Chinese Lore & Legends, and many of thier Ancients Mythologies and Epics, such as the Ancient Epic by Wu Cheng En: Xi You Ji (Journey to the West). Which is about the the invincible Monkey King named Sun Wu Kong, whom was born from Stone, then bacame the most powerful of all gods in Heaven. He caused such Havoc in Heaven then, was imprisoned under a 5 Ellement Mountain for 500 years by the Rulai (Buhda).
He was rescues by Guan Yin and became the student of a Tang Priest. His job was to protect the Priest Sanzang.
His Shifu the Tang Preist Sanzang recruted 2 more Yaoguai gods, and they encountered many other Evil Yaoguai on the way to The West to fetch the Buhdist Scriptures.
The English version of the Journey West is 4 books long.
There are many other books witch have yaoguai storries. The most comon of these are usually stories of Female Fox Yaoguai who change into beautiful women and lore in unsuspecting men. On the wedding night, She will partake of his flesh, eat his heart, and drink his blood.
Many Yaoguai crave human flesh, and prefer pure meat like that of a Virgin or a Monk.
Aside from Yaoguai, there are also many animal gods in Chinese Mythology. They often morph into a bipedal (2 legged) strait standing form and where long sleeved robes, in English we would call these robes "kimonos", but in Chinese they're ususually referred to as "Tang Fu" (Tong-Foo or Taahng-foo) because long sleeved robes were popularised in Asia during the Chinese Tang Dynasty reighn. |
