The Supernatural

Ghosts 鬼

It is understood that every human has at least two 'souls', hun 魂 and po 魄 that will continue to exist after a person's death.[1] As these souls can have influence on the living, and easily become discontent, it is advisable to know how treat and pacify them.

Appeasement of hun 魂 and po 魄

According to early belief, men are 'an inseparable continuum of "pneumata" (qi 氣), which diffuses after his death' (Seidel 1985, 161).[2] As the souls hun and po depend on the remaining qi of the body, there exist no clear distinction of body and soul. The hun-soul consists of the yang-component of the person and the po-soul of the yin-component. Upon death, the hun-soul ascents upward, whereas the po-soul stays with the fading corpse and slowly diffuses. The yang-polar hun is worshipped as the ancestral soul in the ancestral tablet and also called shen 神. It can be established through proper death rituals and is believed to ideally have a positive influence on the surviving family members. On the other hand, the yin-polar po is understood as a restless ghost soul (gui 鬼), which needs properly observed funerary rites for conciliation (Ebner von Eschenbach, Freiin 1995, 118–120, 124–130).[3] As it is traditionally assumed that the dual souls hun and po, meaning the whole individual, form, social character, and all psychological components continue to exist after death, it is understandable that a gui has wishes and needs similar to the living. Rituals and funerary objects have the purpose to not only announce a dead person to the otherworldly society and to bribe the underworld, but also to secure his existence and to pacify him. Already in 182, the sentence 'the living and the dead go their different paths and should not disturb each other', was written on a burial document. Frequently quoted until the time of the Qing, it additionally declares the fear of the family about the return of the dead (Seidel 1985, 162-163, 169, 176; Watson 1988, 9).

Even after an orderly burial, ghosts belong to the kind of supernatural beings, to whom humans get into contact by way of presenting offerings. One feels obliged to do so towards the spirits of one's ancestors, is afraid of their indignation, and hopes for personal benefit; whereas one wants to keep the dead of strangers at a distance by offerings, so that they will not do any damage (Wolf 1974, 160).

Ghosts in the zhiguai-literature

In general, stories about ghosts promote the immortality of human existence, a belief in an afterlife, and refute non-believers. The character and nature of spirits are explained and instructions given for correct behaviour and interaction between the living and the dead (Finucane 2001, 17; Campany 1991, 16–17). Humans should know that next to an improper burial, the deceased can also become agitated if their grave is in an unsatisfactory state and parts of the corpse are uncovered or even missing. The latter is especially important concerning rebirth, which can only happen in an intact body. Moreover, spirits can easily become souls with grievances, if they have suffered an unexpected or unnatural end. Here, Anthony Yu uses the term 'bad dead' for humans who have died prematurely because of illness, or a violent death due to accident, murder, or suicide. In general it can be said that individuals, who had to endure injustice before their demise are likely to return as avenging ghosts, 'wronged souls nursing a grievance or grudge.’(Yu 1987, 415, 420).[4] Fortunately, spectral beings also materialize in a benevolent mood to repay good deeds, protect their descendants, or approach humans for social contact.

A variety of emotional and material reasons are the source for the return of the deceased in the zhiguai-literature. Robert Campany enumerates the most frequent claims: 'acknowledgement, respect, food and drink, reburial and care for the corpse, healing, friendship, learned conversation, companionship in drinking or gaming or travel, love, revenge.’(Campany 1991, 31).

Furthermore, ghosts are a traditional explanation for certain illnesses of humans, even though the cause is mainly understood as a sign of moral deficiency of the suffering person. Since the time of the Song, there has been a tendency to explain the obsession of an individual by a ghost less from a moral, but more from a psychological point of view. for example, there are classical stories about examinees, who are unsuccessful because they meet with a deceased person taking revenge during the examination. This can easily be justified by the exceptionally stressful psychological situation the students had to endure. Moreover, like the fox stories, these narratives provide a good explanation and justification for failure.[5]

Additionally, there are many ironical tales, which reconcile the living and the dead. Here, the traditional phrase, that the ‘light and the dark go their separate ways' (youming yilu 幽明異路), can be understood as dialectical. Not only do the dead and the living seem to be in frequent contact, but they are also concerned with the same matters. It becomes clear that everything, especially the profane, is continuously of interest after death (Yu 1987, 414, 432–433; Lai 1982, 30). These narratives aim at reducing the fear of the afterworld in an entertaining and amusing way.

Representation of Ghosts in the Yuewei caotang biji

About 300 notes in the YWCT are about ghosts, which is by far the majority of all biji. Gui have overlapping with similar terms, like shen 神, yao 妖, mei 魅, guai 怪, wu 物 and finally, hun 魂 and po 魄. Nevertheless, in the collection these are mainly understood as gods, demons, strange creatures, and the souls of a dead human. As an exception, there are additionally gui of animals, clay statues, and even of supernatural foxes. Spirits from plants or objects are generally not included in this category. Instead, they are said to have the ability to accumulate energy in the course of time and thus become demonic (yao 妖, mei 魅), or are used as a physical frame by a demon.

As a guiding principle, it can be said that the notes of the YWCT figure a known or unknown dead human, who first of all becomes visible to the protagonist without a discernible purpose.

Ghosts still have their individual personality and are aware of their former social status. Nonetheless, apart from the dead relatives and former friends, they are all seen as identical by the protagonists, which often leads to their discontent. The kind of relationship they can establish with humans is therefore important as well as how they are individually responded to. It is up to the ghost who it chooses to approach and which strategy it uses in order to reach its objective. The main topic of these stories is how the living and the dead treat each other. It is often told how they help each other, or that a dead person is well educated; but also how ghosts annoy humans, take revenge, and are driven away.

Different Types of Ghosts

In the collection about 65 per cent of the stories figure an unknown spectre. Of the more or less known ghosts, the majority are dead family members. The three different main categories are thus the spirits of obscure individuals, identifiable persons and dead relatives.

As might be expected, dead relatives are mainly good-natured and materialize to be of help to family members, warn them, or make useful predictions. These ghosts are frequently worried about their descendants and become restless when their children have to suffer injustice. The largest group consists of dead spouses, who return to console their mourning partner, or to express their jealousy in cases were there is a new lover. They are not expelled, even though the stories do occasionally give reasons for doing so. Dead family members are generally still emotionally tied to their family, for which they are pitied by the living. The wish that they should still take part in life, as well as the hope of their protective influence, seems secondary in the YWCT.

The ghosts of known men do frequently ask humans for help and sometimes thank an individual for an occurrence that happened during their lifetime. However, more frequently they return to take revenge and make good use of the possibility to bring the living to trial in the underworld. These spirits are often reproachful towards the protagonist and it is three times as likely that a human is murdered by them, than by an unknown dead individual. Therefore, the living should pay careful attention to this type of ghost, even though it is said that their revenge is often well grounded or even good. These narratives do morally admonish, since they make clear that the living have a sensible reason to fear the vengeance of the dead. Even though the dead of unknown persons are mainly behaving neutrally towards humans, the protagonists often think of them as threatening apparitions. It also happens, that these gui annoy the living and are driven out, capriciously make individuals ill, or are haunting humans. Contrary to the identifiable ghosts, they treat certain persons with respect and are described as educated. They seldom ask for help and are themselves not very helpful towards others. The notes, in which an unknown apparition materializes are less moralistic, have a wider range of topics and are thus more of an entertaining nature. Since most narratives figure this kind of ghost, it can be assumed, that for the YWCT the entertainment is primarily of interest.

A gui's temperament is also determined by the circumstances of his individual death. About 70 ghosts of the collection have suffered a bad death as humans, including those, who have died prematurely. The latter are mainly relatives, who return to be of help to the living or to ask them for help. These primarily female ghosts are portrayed as benevolent and are often unsettled because they worry about their young children. The spectres, which have suffered a violent death, are occasionally described as threatening. Included are the ghosts of suicides, who have to wander around restlessly until they can urge a human to also commit suicide and take their place. These departed thus wait for a so-called substitute (tishen 替身 or daiti 待替). Their search for a substitute is not very successful and the chosen victim can frequently be saved, which is why they only murder humans in four stories. The spirits of humans who have died a violent death are mainly from the lower strata and generally do not irritate the living. They most often ask an unknown person for help and are described as pitiful, but also as frightening. However, it is the ghosts of known women, which are the most dangerous for the protagonists, since they often return to this world to take revenge on their malefactors. 

Anthony Yu writes, that the female ghosts are clearly creatures of the male imagination, as being “affectionate and threatening, both desired and feared. The biases of culture and gender could not be more apparent.” (Yu 1987, 429). Contrary to this, the 72 female gui of the YWCT are rarely described as seductive or desirable. Generally, the male ghosts are more peaceful as well as better educated, and like to teasingly annoy humans. The female spirits ask a protagonist four times as often for help and frequently take revenge. They are not only more menacing, but additionally murder humans more often. One reason can be found in their cause of death, since women have nearly three times as often suffered a bad death than men. Most of them are of low birth and from these, eighteen women died violently. According to the social reality,[6] four times as many female characters than male ones have committed suicide.

Since the belief in the revengeful return of souls was widely spread, suicide could be chosen as an act of aggression against a  victimizer.[7] An especially pathetic example is given by Ji Yun’s maternal uncle, An Shizhai 安實齋 (fl. 1734), who recounts how he returned home after taking part in the provincial examination in 1732. He stayed in a guest house, where he made the acquaintance of a 'man from the south'. While they eat and drink together, the stranger complains about the intrigue and ungrateful behaviour of a former friend. Just when both men sigh aloud in honest concern, a weeping voice is heard from outside the window. It turns out, that the voice belongs to the dead wife of the stranger, who has returned to take revenge. After meticulously enumerating her former husband's brutal behaviour towards her, ending with her suicide, she finally explains that she has already informed the gods of the underworld and that his fate has been decided upon. She has now come to call for him. Her former husband was frightened to death and did not say a word, until he screamed dreadfully all of a sudden and fell on the floor. What further happened is unknown, because An Shizhai was too worried to get involved and quickly departed. 

Considering what the accounts reveal about the wrongs female ghosts often had to suffer during their lifetime, it seems rather surprising that there are not more intimidating stories like this one.

Attributes of Ghosts

Whereas the protagonists seldom try themselves to get into contact with spirits, the latter seem to prefer dwelling near humans. Therefore, unintentional encounters frequently happen or spirits can be secretly observed by the living.

An unsatisfying funeral and a bad state of the grave are also given as a reason why an apparition asks for help or haunts until it is exorcised. One example is given in the report told by Dong Yuandu 董元度 (b. 1709), who, while taking part in the provincial examinations in 1747, stays in a monastery. For a few nights he dreams of a very worried looking woman, but cannot understand the meaning, until he went for a walk in the garden of the monastery one day and found a coffin standing in an adjoining building of the courtyard. It was placed on the floor and made a decayed and rotten impression. When he looked around, everything appeared just as in his dream. Mr Dong asks a monk and is told, that the corpse of the loved concubine of a certain official is in the coffin. It was agreed, that the coffin could stay for storage and that the official would return to take it with him. Since then, a couple of ten years has passed and they had never heard from the official again. They also did not dare to move the coffin and bury it. No one had assumed that it could take so long. The narrative ends with Mr. Dong taking care of a proper burial for the dead concubine, who once more becomes visible in his dream to thank him.

Next to spirits causing pity, there are also the so-called hungry ghosts (preta), who are dissatisfied because they have no descendants caring about them. These do often try to find a person who will give them sacrifices by pleading, being cunning, or simply threatening. The dead are generally tempted by alcohol and turn up if they smell the liquor. In 26 narratives, it is told how a spirit enters the body of a human and makes him obsessed. Frequently, he wants to take revenge or blackmail the relatives of the victim for food offerings. After a short time, the ghost usually disappears on his own, after promoting his intentions. To solve the situation, no other person’s help is needed, or a scholar talks to the spectral and can convince it to vanish. In general, it is the ghost which does not behave according to rules and not the protagonist. Consequently, it is the ghost, who has to suffer supernatural punishment as a result of violating social norms. The description of human obsession in the YWCT therefore seems less to demonstrate the consequences of a moral transgression of the protagonist, as to give psychologically grounded reason.[8]

Spectres have human shortcomings and there are entries about narrow-minded and absurd disagreements; like arguments about possessions, out of jealousy, or hurt vanities, as in the story narrated by Li Chengrui 李承瑞 (fl. 1751):

There was an old Confucian staying in a remote garden to work on a scientific text. One night he could hear from outside the garden wall a humming sound. A moment passed by, when he could hear a debate starting. This turned into an argument, abuses followed and finally, he could hear the noises of a fistfight. Since behind the garden there was nothing but vast uninhabited land, he knew that this must be ghosts and shuddered while listening to the fight outside his window. Then someone said in an energetic and angry voice: "This one here is criticising and contradicting my essay 'Honesty gives vital energy!' I therefore ask you to come here now and give your judgement." The reciting in a humming voice started again and for a few hundred words, sentence for sentence, hands were clapped in rhythm. All the while, one could hear someone groaning and lamenting, but also mockingly laughing a little. The old Confucian did not dare to breathe or say something. Then he heard a stern voice: "Sir, exactly what do you think?" For some time the scholar moved his mouth, but did not speak. Finally, he kowtowed on his pillow and said: "I am an old chicken's rib and not fit to stand one [of your] fist." Thereupon, one marched away laughing loudly, whereas the other walked up and down outside the window, huffing and puffing noisily. Only when the cock crowed, it became quiet […] (LY V.24b).

Next to quarrelling because of offended pride, further weaknesses of the dead are the obvious lying and their fallibility – as for instance in the report about a female ghost, who wants to take frightful vengeance at a room-mate of Ji Rongshu 紀容舒 in a guest house. The scholar is unimpressed and insists on his innocence. Only after some time, does the spirit indeed believe that she was mistaken about the room-number and disappears. It also happens, that spirits intentionally break rules, as in the story told by Ji Yun’s former private secretary, Zhao You 趙佑 (1727–1800), about Sun Hao 孫灝 (1700–1760):

[…] before Mr. Sun Xuchuan 孫虛船 [Hao 灝] passed the metropolitan examination, he once worked as a private tutor for a certain family. The mother of the landlord was severely ill.

One evening, a servant was preparing the dinner. Since Mr. Sun was still busy, he ordered his food to be placed on a table in another room. Suddenly, Mr. Sun saw how a man dressed in white quickly went into that room. While he was still wondering about this, another man, short and all dressed in black, hesitantly also entered that room. To investigate this further, Mr. Sun followed them and could see how these two persons sat opposite each other [at the table], chewing greatly. When he cursed them aloud, the one in white clothes escaped, whereas the one in black clothes could not get out of the room any more, because Mr. Sun stood in the doorway. He was hiding in a corner of the room and Mr. Sun sat down in front of the door, to see what would happen. Shortly thereafter, the landlord came hastily and said: "Just now the sick person said in a ghostlike language that envoys from the underworld have arrived to take her along. However, a man, who guards the door, does not let one of them out. Should the fixed date be missed, severe punishment and difficulties for the dead will follow. Since I [the landlord] did not know if this is true or not, I came to have a look." When Mr. Sun moved from the doorway, he caught sight of the short man dressed in black, who run out in severe distress. Thereupon, one could hear the noise of crying as loud as boiling water from the sleeping room.

Since Mr. Sun is an upright gentleman, who has not told a lie all his life, his story must be true. The laws of the underworld are very strict and a god had probably received knowledge of what had happened. The envoys had been sent to fetch the dead woman and not to take possession of food and drink in the house of the dying. […] (LX I.6).

Next to disobeying rules, the ghosts of the YWCT behave according to their type to reach their aims. They act either helpful, pitiful or annoy and threaten humans. The appearance of the majority of the departed has no further consequences for the protagonists, who experience certain class-related encounters.

Class-Related Encounters with Ghosts

The majority of the protagonists in these stories have an elite background and experience more neutral encounters with the dead. Persons of the other social strata have more threatening incidents, but also more good ones, and are more likely to get murdered by a ghost. Considering these more contrasting incidents, it appears that the upper-class is shown as knowing better how to deal with the dead.

Not only are the spectres shown as behaving differently towards the individuals, but certain protagonists are more likely to meet with certain kinds of ghosts. This has to additionally be taken into consideration, since the type of ghost is relevant for the outcome of an encounter.

Officials, for example, seldom meet a dead relative, but are frequently faced with a known apparition, as well as a human who has suffered a violent death. Scholars often meet an unknown female spirit and rarely a human who has suffered a bad death. Members of the economically wealthy, as compared to the other social classes, are more likely to encounter a dead family member and in the biographical stories the most deceased female relatives, who have died premature appear, but hardly any male ones. Commoners regularly come across spectres that have died a violent death and comparatively more female ghosts. The female ghosts do not behave as benevolently towards them as towards individuals of the upper class. The most dead male relatives become visible to female protagonists. Thus, officials and persons of the lower strata meet up with the more threatening type of apparitions, whereas the protagonists of the economically wealthy, the scholars, and the biographical characters encounter the kind of rather inoffensive spirits.

Interaction between the dead and the living in the YWCT can be divided into six main categories: spirits who irritate the protagonist, who ask for help, display their education, are of help, take revenge, or are driven out. 

Officials are frequently asked for help by ghosts and also receive supernatural support. This mutual assistance is mainly professionally related, as for example, when ghosts demand certain official documents, or when a dead person asks his successor to restore a mistake he had made during his time of office, so that the punishment in the underworld will be less severe. Officeholders also have to listen to moral reproaches, such as not caring enough for the dead. A further topic is that these protagonists have to acknowledge the frightful fact that spirits observe them while acting in their capacity as officials. Since they do most frequently meet the kind of unpleasant ghosts, it is surprising that they often have neutral or good experiences. In comparison to the other social classes, officials know best how to behave towards the dead and are treated by them with the most respect.

The scholars have to face many unknown and educated ghosts, which wish for communication, since they feel socially isolated in the other world. The spirits also like to instruct and criticise these protagonists, especially pedantic and non-believing students and teachers. They enjoy warning private secretaries because of their responsible occupation, and secretaries also easily become the victims of revenge for unknown reasons. Female ghosts often either try to seduce scholars, or like to punish them for their immoral thoughts. Nevertheless, scholars have mainly neutral experiences with spirits, but are the only members of the elite who are murdered. In one entry, it is pointed out that the only scholars who will be murdered, are those who do not have a lucky future as officials. The two persons who are spared, are said to have later been appointed to positions in Confucian schools. Thus giving reason for mockery, when Ji Yun’s former teacher Bao Zi 鮑梓 (fl. 1733) laughingly comments, that he never thought much of the mentioned positions and how strange it seems that ghosts do obviously judge this differently.[9]

Whereas spectres prefer to annoy or threaten pedantic persons, they frequently treat true scholars differently. A typical example is the following note:

Mr. Wang Zhongying 王仲穎 from Hejian, whose ming is Zhirui 之銳, was a most promising student of the honourable Li Wenzhen 李文貞 [Li Guangdi 李光地 (1642-1718)][10] He had a profound knowledge of the [Confucian] Classics, his manner was courteous, upright, and as unadulterated as the ancient superior man (gu junzi 古君子). In the year jimao or bingchen [1735/1736] I [Ji Yun] followed [my father] Yao'an gong to Peking. At this time, he [Wang] was still Instructor of the Directorate of Education (guozijian zhujiao 國子監助教). Until today I am still disappointed that I could not meet him once.

It is rumoured that one night he unexpectedly went out into the empty courtyard behind his house, to pull out some laifu [radish] and preserve it in alcohol. [Suddenly], he blurringly saw the shadow of a human and suspected a thief. Since he saw nothing thereafter, he knew it was a ghost or demon. According to the principle ‘the dark and the light go their different paths’ (幽明異路之理), so he expressed his disapproval in a stern voice. From inside a patch of bamboo he could hear a human answering: "The Mister is well versed in the Yijing 易經, [and knows that] where there is yang, there is yin, this is the natural law. Humans are out during the day and ghosts are out at night. This is the separation of the light and the dark. Humans do not reside at the places of ghosts and ghosts do not reside at the places of humans. This is the principle of the different paths. Since between heaven and earth there is no place without humans, there is no place without ghosts. As long as one does not affect or harm each other, one can live in peaceful coexistence. Now, if a ghost enters your home during the daytime, it is justified if you get agitated. Right now, it is in the middle of the night and this place is uninhabited. It is the time for ghosts to come out and dwell here. Since you had no light, made no noise, and approached so quickly, I could not hide and we did run into each other unexpectedly. It was you, Mister, who offended the ghost, not the ghost who offended you. To respectfully avoid you should be sufficient. Why are you, Sir, so severely reproachful towards me?" The Mister said laughingly: "What you say is right and for the time being we will leave it at that." He pulled out the laifu and returned.

Later, when he talked to one of his students about this, the student said that since the ghost could talk and the Mister was not afraid, why did he not greet him and asked for his name? He could have inquired in detail about the administration of the underworld and what is talked about. He could have asked what is considered right and wrong, or what their underlying principle is. The Mister answered: "Is it not the case that humans are too intimate towards ghosts? Was there not just the mention that the dark and the light go their different paths?" (GW I.18).

Here, the saying of the 'separate ways of the light and the dark' might be understood as an ironic phrase since the main topic is the educated but inferior ghost, which feels offended in his pride. Wang Zhongying agrees amused and convivial with the scandalised ghost. 

The majority of good experiences the biographical protagonists make are sentimental family stories, for example, dead or dying women who appear out of loyalty, want to thank their living relatives, or give useful advice. The dead family members of the elite also display wishes according to their social class. Thus, a dead wife wishes for a servant as an additional offering, and Ji Yun's concubine, as has been mentioned before, is sent back to the living in order to ask for more paper money. The latter story also implies that the employees of the underworld might expect more offerings from members of the elite. It is further mentioned that the dead mourn about their worldly possessions being disregarded, or the financial ruin of the family. Spirits of the upper-class additionally help their relatives to secure their fortunes by warning about robbers and thieves or by driving them away themselves.

The protagonists of the lower strata meet more malevolent ghosts and threatening female apparitions. Spirits never ask men of the lower strata for aid, but are themselves helpful; for example, if they protect these individuals from malicious ghosts or give practical advice.

Next to Ji Yun and his relatives, the members of the economically wealthy, as well as the very few monks, nuns, and Daoists, encounter the greatest number of the benevolent dead. Interestingly, the latter are also not shown as driving an apparition successfully out. One entry of a failed exorcism is about an official who one night enters his study and finds a human head lying on his desk. Naturally, he is quite frightened and assumes that this is a bad omen. He quickly calls for the help of a Daoist who is known as an exorcist. The Daoist confirms that this is a bad sign and that misfortune can only be prevented by prayers and the offering of a large amount of money to the altar of the dead. In the middle of their discussion, a voice can suddenly be heard from outside the window:

"Unfortunately, I was executed and the hun of a dead (幽魂) person without a head cannot be reborn. Therefore, I have to carry it around with me, which is really quite burdensome. Seeing that the table of the Mister is so orderly, I have placed my head on it for a short while. When you entered all of a sudden, in my haste I forgot to take it with me and it gave you a fright. This is due to my carelessness and not related to your luck or misfortune. The magician talked nonsense, there is no need to pay attention [to him] and be fooled." Thereafter, the Daoist let his head sink and left (GW III.48a).

By the way monks and Daoists are described, it can be concluded that not only their efficiency, but also their role as traditional exorcists is not considered to be of importance. On the other hand, female protagonists are acknowledged by male ghosts, if they display conservative virtues. Widows meet their dead husbands in over 10 narratives, who can try to be of comfort, but the majority of dead husbands are rather unsatisfied. They either complain about their former wives not mourning them sufficiently or want to express their jealousy of a new husband. In two narratives, the ghost of the husband even murders the new partner of his widow. This notwithstanding, different possibilities for driving out a malignant or irritating spectre are given for all individuals.

Inferiority of Ghosts

Gui are subordinate to humans because of their substance, which depends on the influence of their leftover human living energy, qi 氣. Qi is not only slowly and constantly diffusing, but also affected by, and in reciprocal action with, the bipolar power of yin 陰 and yang 陽. Ji Yun frequently describes the operation and concept of qi, which is an explanation for many anomalous phenomena and occurrences.[11]

Qi 氣 and the Influence of yin 陰 and yang 陽

The well-known painter Luo Pin 羅聘 (1733–1799), who claims to be able to see ghosts, writes that they are a product of qi, the fundamental substance of the universe (Chan 1996, 36; 1993, 37; 1998, 87–88). Luo Pin explains the interaction of yin and yang as follows:

Wherever humans are, there are ghosts. Those that have suffered a violent death become malicious ghosts and are not reborn for years. They are locked into rooms of empty houses. Humans cannot get near them, but if they do, it is very harmful. There are those ghosts, who hastily come and go. Before noon, when the yang flourishes, most of them like to be in the shade of a wall [which is yin]. In the afternoon, when the yin flourishes, they idly wander about in all four directions. Ghosts can pass through walls and do not have to pass through doors. When they meet a human, they hide, since they fear the yang-energy. These ghosts are everywhere and harmless to humans […] (LY II.24).

Next to Luo Pin and the official Hu Taichu 胡太初 [presumably Hu Gaowang 胡高望, d c. 1798], the Grand Secretary Heng Lantai 恒蘭臺 is also mentioned as having the ability to see ghosts. In 1798, when he and Ji Yun stay in the summer palace in Manchuria, he describes them as follows:

Ghosts have a shape like humans, but their eyes stare straight ahead. Their clothes seem like rags bound together piece by piece and hanging from their body, not very much like humans. Physically they seem foggy and blurred and when they approach, they look like a human shadow. Whereas one can see them in one piece from the side, their front looks as if half of their body is hidden by a wall whilst the other half is apparent. Ghosts are black or grey-white and usually keep a distance from humans of one to two zhang 丈, as they do not dare to approach closer. In case it happens that they unexpectedly meet a human and cannot avoid him, they squat down shivering and try to hide in a corner of a wall or in a well. Only when the human has passed do they slowly come out again. In dark nights, when the street-lamps do not shine, and during dusk, when the sky is clouded, one can frequently see them. There is nothing strange about this.

What he [Heng Lantai] said, is quite similar to what Hu [Taichu] and Luo [Pin] said, only his description is more detailed […] (LX I.4).

Ji Yun remarks that it is already stated in the Zuozhuan 左傳 that the ghosts of recently dead are tall and the other ones small, depending on how strong or weak their qi is. Therefore, the black or greyish look of ghosts probably depends on the amount of their remaining human energy. The interaction of yin-yang and the influence on qi also becomes clear in the following entry:

The butcher Xu Fang was once walking in the night, carrying a pole over his shoulder from which two amphorae filled with alcohol hung. When he felt tired from walking, he took a break underneath a big tree. The moon was shining as bright as day, when he heard a distant wailing (嗚嗚聲) and a ghost came out of a grave. Since his appearance was frightful, Xu Fang hid behind the tree, holding the carrying-pole as self-defence. The ghost went straight to the amphorae and danced around for joy. Hastily, he opened one, drank and emptied it at once. He then tried to open the second one, but when he had half opened the seal, he collapsed.

For some time, Xu stared hatefully at the ghost, which looked as if it could not endure any more. Then, Xu dashed forward to beat the ghost with his carrying-pole, but it felt as if he was attacking nothing. He constantly beat more strongly whereas the ghost on the ground became gradually lax and weary until it turned into a thick smoke. Afraid that it might change again, Xu beat him anew for well over a hundred times. The thick fog spread flatly over the ground and gradually dispersed. It looked like paling ink marks and resembled gauze. It became increasingly diffuse and thin, reduced itself further, until finally it entirely disappeared […].

Alcohol spreads the qi, which is why it is used in medicine for a better blood-circulation and metabolism. It is a good remedy for illness caused by coldness. This ghost only existed through his qi, but yet he drunk a full amphora of alcohol. The increasingly warming yang-qi had slowly dispelled his yin-qi. This is the reason for his ending. [...] (LY II.14).

Here, it also becomes apparent why it is said that as a rule ghosts only inhale alcohol and do not drink it. Obviously, Ghosts are inferior to humans because their yin-substance is subject to certain 'physical laws', which is not only in danger when exposed to alcohol. For example, it is pointed out, that a moral, upright, and self-disciplined individual generally has a strong yang-qi, which is troublesome and repugnant to spirits. They are therefore more likely to make an appearance when an individual violates social norms, or does not act according to moral standards. These persons have a strong yin-energy and are thus easier to approach for ghosts. The phrase that 'demons are caused by men' (yao you ren xing 妖由人興), next to other possible interpretations, indicates that the appearance of the strange is made possible by human behaviour. The accounts of this kind have a plain didactic aim, since they point out that individual moral failings are immediately supernaturally responded to. It therefore is safer for humans to observe ethical and social rules (Chan 1998, 145–147, 237). Nevertheless, some entries stand in opposition to this moral argument. For example, a peaceful ghost existing in obscurity can become restless because a man possessing a strong yang-energy is suddenly staying near by. The spirit will then try to drive that person away, in order to regain its peace again. Of course, such an individual is usually represented as having a strong character and will not let himself be disturbed by a ghost.

Spirits are generally cast out by matters that are yang, like fire, explosions, and shooting with weapons. Since a weak or diminishing yang-qi is attracting them, ghosts are likely to appear as an omen if a human is nearing his own death. As Ji Yun's former teacher, He Xiu 何琇 (fl. 1733) reports, being close to the body of a human who has just died, is also unhealthy for the living. As a child, Mr. He became ill during a journey by boat, because he slept on a box containing the remains of a burned corpse. Ji Yun explains, that this was probably due to the hun of the dead person, which had followed the remains of the body and could not find peace because of the physical nearness of a human. Luckily, after going ashore, He Xiu recovered quickly.

Ghosts can be driven out by courageous persons, as becomes obvious in the story about a girl who is simply throwing stones at threatening spirits. Her strong reaction shows so much yang-qi, that they are defeated and have to retreat. The same success can be reached by human stubbornness, as Dai Zhen 戴震 (1723 –1777) tells in an anecdote about an ancestor. The man provokes a frightening spirit who has appeared to intimidate him, to the utmost, by sticking to the statement that he is not afraid of ghosts. When the ancestor is later asked about his provocative action, he simply replies that he had no other choice, because his virtue alone would not have sufficed.

Deliberate Breach of Etiquette by the Protagonists

The right treatment of ghosts does not only imply being unafraid, but making fun about them – as illustrated by Dong Bangda 董邦達 who is using a stick as a weapon and chases after scared ghosts or Ji Yun's tongnian, Ke Yuefeng 柯禺峰 [presumably Ke Jin 柯瑾, jinshi 1754)] who drives a monstrous apparition away by vulgar insults. Ji Yun’s former teacher Sun Renlong 孫人龍 (jinshi 1730) successfully sends an appearing ghost away by simply being detached and unemotional. Another scholar annoys the spirit of a woman who had committed suicide by giving her a slap and smearing her face with ink. When he additionally threatens to dishonour her body, she is scandalised and flees. Further on, some useful advice is given about how to drive away spirits by physical violence, insults, and jokes; but even if a human does not behave according to social rules, the rightful attempt of a spirit to frighten him can be unsuccessful. A friend of Ji Yun's ancestors, Dong Kongru 董空如, is drunk one night and urinates on a grave. His irreverent conduct provokes a haunting, which he intimidates by threatening that should it not be quiet straight away, he would come back every night to urinate on the grave. Here it becomes clear, that the outcome of an encounter does very much depend on the momentary reaction of the protagonist.

Leo Chan describes the humorous dealings of the 18th century elite with ghosts, as becomes obvious by the colophon of Luo Liangfang's well-known painting 'The Amusement of Ghosts' (guiqu tu 鬼趣图). Here, next to Ji Yun, at least nine further narrators and protagonists of the YWCT have written witty remarks. Whereas Ji Yun's friend Qian Daxin 錢大昕 (1728–1804) states that it is ridiculous to worry about spirits, other scholars point out the importance of the right treatment, or simply make jokes about ghosts (Chan 1996, 38–39 and 44–45).

Fig. Guiqu tu 鬼趣图