nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the Shan Hai Jing

Fox spirits (狐狸精 hǔlijīng) in Chinese mythology are spirits of a fox type that are akin to European faeries, demons, or to the Japanese yōkai known as kitsune (Kumiho in Korean mythology). They can be either good spirits or bad spirits. Image File history File links NineTailsFox. ... Image File history File links NineTailsFox. ... Shan Hai Jing (山海經,山海经) is an ancient Chinese book that contains many geographic and culture descriptions about the ancient world. ... Chinese Mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written form. ... A fox is a member of any of 27 species of small omnivorous canids. ... by Sophie Anderson A fairy, or faery, is a creature from stories and mythology, often portrayed in art and literature as a minuscule humanoid with wings. ... The ghost of Oiwa manifesting herself as a lantern obake. ... A real kitsune, a Japanese subspecies of the red fox, in Hokkaido, Japan. ... The kumiho (lit. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In Chinese and Japanese mythologies, it is believed that all things are capable of acquiring human forms, magical powers, and immortality provided that they received certain energy, such as human breaths or essence from the moon and the sun. Shapeshifting, transformation , transmogrification or morphing is a change in the form or shape of a person, especially: a change from human form to animal form and vice versa a change in appearance from one person to another Shapeshifting is not considered scientifically or medically possible for humans (and animal shapeshifting...

The fox spirits that people encounter in tales and legends tend to be females and appear as young, beautiful women. One of the most infamous fox spirits in Chinese mythology was Daji (妲己), who is portrayed in the Ming novel Fengshen Yanyi a beautiful daughter of a general; she was married forcibly to the cruel tyrant Zhou Xin (紂辛 Zhòu Xīn). A nine-tailed fox spirit who served Nüwa (whom Zhou Xin had offended) entered into and possessed her body, expelling the "true" Daji's soul. 'Daji' and her new husband schemed cruelly and invented many devices of torture, such as forcing righteous officials to hug red-hot metal pillars (see text an image on Paoluo torture invented by Daji). Due to such cruelties, many people, including Zhou Xin's own former generals, revolted and fought against Zhou Xin's dynasty, Shang. Finally, King Wen of Zhou, one of the vassals of Shang, founded a new dynasty named after his country. The fox spirit in Daji's body was later driven out by Jiang Ziya (姜子牙), the first Prime Minister of the Zhou Dynasty. Fengshen Yanyi (Traditional Chinese: 封神演義; Simplified Chinese: 封神演义) (translated as The Investiture of the Gods or The Creation of the Gods), also known as Fengshen Bang (Traditional Chinese: 封神榜; Simplified Chinese: 封神榜), is one of the major works of classical Chinese literature created in Ming dynasty. ... This article or section may be confusing for some readers, and should be edited to be clearer or more simplified. ... Nyuu Wa iconograph in Shan Hai Jing In Chinese mythology, Nüwa (Traditional Chinese: 女媧 Simplified Chinese: 女娲 Pinyin: nÇšwā) is mythological character best known for reproducing people after a great calamity. ... Shang Dynasty (Chinese: 商朝) or Yin Dynasty (殷代) (1600 BC - 1046 BC) followed the legendary Xia Dynasty and preceded the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC) in China. ... Jiang Ziya (姜子牙;姜子牙) (a. ... The Zhou Dynasty (Chinese: 周朝; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: chou chao; 11th century BC to 256 BC) followed the Shang (Yin) Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty in China. ...

Typically fox spirits were seen as dangerous, but some of the stories in Pu Songling's Liaozhai Zhiyi are love stories between a fox appearing as a beautiful girl and a young human male. Pu Songling (Chinese: 蒲松齡; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Pu Sung-ling) (5 June 1640 - 25 February 1715) was an ethnic Mongol Chinese writer. ... Liaozhai Zhiyi (聊斋志异, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio) is a conflation of 431 supernatural tales written by Pu Songling (1640 - 1715) during the early Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). ...

In modern Mandarin slang and Cantonese slang, the term "fox spirit" (狐狸精 húlijīng) is a derogatory expression describing a woman who seduces a man ("gold digging"). In some ways, Mandarin Chinese slang terms and insults resemble their English counterparts. ...

The fox spirit has also been used as an explanatory factor in the incidence of attacks of Koro, a culture bound syndrome found in Southern China and Malaysia in particular (See Cheng, S. T. (1996) A critical review of Chinese Koro. In Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 20(1):67-82) Genital retraction syndrome (GRS), generally considered a culture-specific syndrome, is a condition in which an individual is overcome with the belief that his/her external genitals - or also, in females, breasts - are retracting into the body, shrinking, or in some male cases, may be imminently removed or disappear. ...

The "Sunshine Through the Rain" segment of Akira Kurosawa's 1990 film Dreams features the theme of a fox spirit. Kurosawa redirects here. ... Dreams — aka Akira Kurosawas Dreams, Yume (夢), I Saw a Dream Like This, Konna yume wo mita, or Such Dreams I Have Dreamed — is a 1990 portmanteau film based on actual dreams of the films director, Akira Kurosawa at different stages of his life. ...

Spirit Fox is the name of an indie folk-rock band from Tallahassee, Florida that is heavy into folklore and birds. Spirit Fox is Nathan Harrison (Banjo, Dobro, Vox), David Low (Guitar, Pedal Steel), and Derek Roguski (Drums, piano/keys/bones, mandolin).

See also

• Kitsune
• Spirit Fox

A real kitsune, a Japanese subspecies of the red fox, in Hokkaido, Japan. ...

External links

• Fox Spirits in Asia - "largest bibliography of fox-spirit material on the web."
• Gods of Japan page on the fox spirit