Two flowers bloom, each telling its own story. Let’s turn our attention to Old Lady Fan, who, in a fit of beastly fury—no, wait, that’s not right—should better be described as demonstrating her extraordinary abilities, resolved several haunting incidents in succession over the course of two or three days. However, what happened next left everyone stunned once again. Why? The dam was nearly completed, yet the river began to dwindle. Initially, it was about ten feet wide, but soon it shrank to merely a foot across. The farmland cracked like dry earth, and irrigation couldn’t keep up, causing many crops to wither and die. Even stranger still, whenever dark clouds finally appeared, they would immediately dissipate as soon as they reached Xiushui Village, leaving not even a trace of cloud behind. Village Head Tian was so anxious he was running around in circles, even considering personally going to the town to request the military to bring in anti-aircraft guns for artificial rainmaking. But how could artificial rain be induced without clouds? With a clear blue sky overhead, where exactly should the gun barrels aim?
Water shortage—an issue that had previously seemed as distant as eight bamboo poles away—has now become an unprecedented source of worry for the villagers. Liu Dashao suddenly recalled a phrase from an old book in his possession: “When the Hanba appears, a thousand miles turn into parched land!” This book, titled Zhengyi Fu Suan, was not inherited from his father or grandfather, but rather a gift from Old Lady Fan when he became her apprentice. It was full of classical Chinese texts, many parts of which he couldn’t fully understand, but it contained many strange and unusual things, which naturally fascinated children. Therefore, Liu Dashao had been reading it quite diligently lately, even reaching a point where he couldn’t put it down for days. This book contained a record about the monster known as Hanba.
The so-called Hanba is actually a type of zombie. When Hanba appears in a region, it brings severe drought, with not a single drop of rain falling. Tracing the origins of Hanba leads us back to ancient times. According to folk legends, Hanba first appeared during the grand and bloody war between the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou, a battle involving both gods and humans.
Two flowers bloom, each on its own branch. Now, let’s talk about Granny Fan, who, in a fit of wildness—no, rather, in a display of her extraordinary powers—resolved several ghostly disturbances over the course of two or three days. However, what happened next left everyone dumbfounded once again. Why? The dam was nearly completed, yet the river’s water was dwindling rapidly. Initially, it was a zhang wide, but soon it narrowed to just a chi, and the farmland began to crack. Despite efforts to irrigate, many seedlings withered and died. Strangely, whenever dark clouds approached, they would dissipate immediately upon reaching Xiushui Village, leaving not a trace behind. Village Chief Tian was so anxious that he was ready to personally go to the town to request the military to use anti-aircraft guns for artificial rain. But for artificial rain, you need clouds, right? With the sky so clear, where would you aim the guns?
Water scarcity, a problem that had never been an issue before, now had the villagers deeply worried. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered a line from an ancient book at home: “When the drought demon appears, the land will be scorched for a thousand miles!” This ancient book wasn’t from his father or grandfather but was a gift from Granny Fan when he became her disciple. The book, titled “Zhengyi Fuzuan,” was filled with ancient texts that were hard to understand, but it contained many strange and fascinating things. Children love the bizarre, so Liu Dashao had been reading it a lot lately, even reaching a point where he couldn’t put it down. In “Zhengyi Fuzuan,” there was a record of the demon ‘Hanba.’
The so-called ‘Hanba’ is actually a type of zombie. Areas where ‘Hanba’ appears suffer severe droughts, with not a drop of rain. The origin of ‘Hanba’ dates back to ancient times, appearing in the legendary battle between the Yellow Emperor and Chi You. Both sides used all their powers: Chi You’s brothers were born with immense strength, copper heads, and iron bones, and could command various beasts, poisonous insects, and spirits. The Yellow Emperor’s side, led by the Wind Master and Rain Master, controlled the gods and spirits of heaven and earth. The most terrifying aspect was that the Yellow Emperor sought the aid of ‘Hanba,’ a zombie from a foreign land. In mythology, ‘Hanba’ had a terrifying appearance, with green eyes on its head, hair made of small snakes, and a body covered in white steel hair, possessing immense power. Wherever ‘Hanba’ went, not a drop of rain would fall, often leading to three years of drought, scorching the land for a thousand miles, and causing all living things to die of thirst.
But legends are just legends; real zombies are not that exaggerated. The most widely spread tales about zombies are from the Xiangxi region, known as ‘Jiangshi’ or ‘corpse driving.’ This practice, also called ‘moving spirits,’ ‘walking shadows,’ or ‘walking corpses,’ belongs to the Maoshan arts and originated in the counties of Yuanling, Luxi, Chenxi, and Xupu in Xiangxi. Due to the mountainous terrain, making vehicle travel difficult, the profession of corpse driving emerged. Typically, before the corpse decomposes, a sorcerer would drive it back to its hometown for burial.
The corpses they drive are known as ‘walking corpses.’ The corpse drivers, called ‘Jiangshi masters,’ usually move the corpses to a mortuary or a fixed inn before dawn. The methods of driving corpses are varied and bizarre, including floating corpses, carrying corpses, flying corpses, and even jar corpses, leading to many terrifying and legendary zombie stories.
The corpses are usually draped in wide black shrouds, wearing tall felt hats, with yellow papers inscribed with spells hanging over their faces. In front of these shrouded corpses, a Jiangshi master holds a copper gong. The master leads the corpses forward while striking the gong, often chanting: “Dust to dust, earth to earth, life is hard. Zombies, zombies, follow me, return to your hometown and enter the underworld.”
Jiangshi masters do not carry lanterns but shake a soul-calling bell to warn night travelers and inform households to keep their dogs inside. If there are more than two corpses, the master ties them together with straw ropes, spacing them about seven to eight feet apart. Another theory suggests that Jiangshi masters can drive corpses by applying a Miao herbal medicine to the corpse’s mouth and nose, allowing it to walk like a living person at night, though it cannot speak or think and obediently follows the master’s commands.
In Xiangxi, the profession of corpse driving has existed since ancient times. Those who wish to learn it must meet two conditions: they must be brave and physically strong. Additionally, they must apprentice under a master. Jiangshi masters do not take on disciples lightly. Parents must first sign a contract, and then the master must interview the candidate. Generally, the candidate must be at least 16 years old, over 1.7 meters tall, and, interestingly, must be somewhat unattractive. The master first has the candidate stare at the sun, then spin around and suddenly stop, requiring them to immediately identify the cardinal directions. If they cannot, they are not accepted, as this indicates they would be unable to navigate at night while driving corpses. Next, the master tests the candidate’s ability to find objects and carry loads, as corpses are not alive and cannot climb steep slopes, so the master must carry them up. Finally, there is a test where the master places a tung leaf on a grave in the mountains and has the candidate retrieve it alone at night, proving they have the courage to be a Jiangshi master. Passing these three tests grants the candidate the possibility of becoming a Jiangshi apprentice.
Moreover, Jiangshi masters must learn 36 skills to drive corpses. The first skill is the “standing skill,” which allows the corpse to stand up. The second is the “walking skill,” enabling the corpse to walk freely. The third is the “turning skill,” allowing the corpse to turn while walking. Other skills include the “descending slope skill,” “bridge crossing skill,” and “silent dog skill,” which prevents dogs from barking at the corpses. The final skill is the “soul-returning skill,” which, the better it is, the more souls are returned, making corpse driving much easier.
Jiangshi masters live like ordinary farmers, working from sunrise to sunset. Only when they receive a corpse-driving task do they dress up and set out. Although they engage in this profession, they avoid the term “corpse driving.” Instead, insiders refer to it as “walking feet” or “taking a walk.” If a Jiangshi master agrees to a task, they produce a special yellow paper, on which the deceased’s name, birth date, death date, and gender are written. They then draw a talisman on the paper and keep it on their person. Jiangshi masters dress distinctively: regardless of the weather, they wear straw sandals, a blue cloth robe, a black belt, and a blue cloth hat, with a pouch of talismans at their waist. The first thing a master teaches a disciple is how to draw talismans, which are peculiar symbols drawn in cinnabar on yellow paper. In case of emergencies, these talismans are hung on trees or doors facing west, or sometimes burned and ingested with water.
There is also a saying in Xiangxi corpse driving: “three to drive, three not to drive.” Those who were beheaded (with their heads and bodies sewn together), hanged, or died in a standing cage can be driven. The reason is that they died unwillingly, longing for their hometown and loved ones, so their souls can be summoned with spells and driven back to their homeland, even crossing mountains and rivers.
Those who died of illness, committed suicide by hanging or drowning, or were struck by lightning or burned to death cannot be driven. Those who died of illness have already lived their full lives, and their souls have been taken by the underworld’s envoys to the King of Hell, making it impossible to summon them back. Those who committed suicide have their souls “replaced” (i.e., taken by a substitute), and if a new soul is summoned, the old one cannot be replaced, potentially hindering its reincarnation. In the underworld, the King of Hell despises those who do not value their lives and deliberately take their own lives. Even if they did no evil in life, they are generally not allowed to reincarnate immediately but must wait for someone with a similar experience of suicide, which can be a long process. Therefore, some ghosts who died by suicide may resort to underhanded methods to drive others to suicide, as mentioned earlier with ghosts seeking substitutes.
Additionally, those struck by lightning are considered to have committed grave sins, and those burned to death often have incomplete bodies, making them unsuitable for driving. This is understandable. According to esoteric Buddhism, two types of people do not have an intermediate state (the transition period after death): the extremely virtuous, whose souls ascend to heaven immediately, and the extremely wicked, whose souls plunge directly into the eighteenth layer of hell, suffering endlessly. Those who die untimely deaths are often reaping the consequences of past misdeeds, so even sorcerers cannot help them.
However, these are merely legends. Real zombies are not so exaggerated. The most widespread zombie-related tales are about corpse-moving in western Hunan, also known as “corpse-moving,” “moving shadows,” or “walking corpses.” This practice belongs to the Maoshan sect’s Zhuyou discipline, originating from four counties in western Hunan: Yuanling, Lüxi, Chenxi, and Xupu. Since these areas are mostly mountainous and vehicles have difficulty passing through, the profession of corpse-moving emerged. Usually, this is done before the corpse decays, with the corpse moved by a practitioner back to the deceased’s hometown for burial.
Two flowers bloom, each telling its own story. Now, let’s talk about Granny Fan, who, in a fit of wildness—or rather, displaying her extraordinary abilities—managed to resolve several ghostly disturbances over two or three days. However, what happened next left everyone dumbfounded once again. Why? The dam was nearly completed, but the river water was dwindling rapidly. It started with a width of ten feet, but soon it was down to just one foot, and the farmland began to crack. Despite efforts to irrigate, many seedlings withered and died. Strangely, whenever dark clouds appeared, they would dissipate as soon as they passed over Xiushui Village, leaving not a trace behind. Village Chief Tian was so anxious that he was ready to personally go to the town to call in the military to use anti-aircraft guns for artificial rain. But how can you create rain without clouds? With the sky so clear, where would you even aim the guns?
Water scarcity, a problem that had never been an issue before, now had the villagers deeply worried. Liu Dashao suddenly remembered a line from an ancient book at home: “When the drought demon appears, the land will be barren for thousands of miles!” This ancient book wasn’t from his father or grandfather but was a gift from Granny Fan when he became her disciple. The book, titled “Zhengyi Fu Zuan,” was filled with ancient texts that were hard to understand, but it contained many strange and fascinating things. Children love the bizarre, so Liu Dashao had been reading it a lot lately, even to the point of being unable to put it down. The book also mentioned the creature known as the “drought demon.”
The so-called “drought demon” is a type of zombie. Areas where it appears suffer from severe drought, with not a drop of rain. The origin of the “drought demon” dates back to ancient times, appearing in the legendary battle between the Yellow Emperor and Chi You. Both sides used all their powers. Chi You’s brothers were born with immense strength, with copper heads and iron bones, and could command fierce beasts, poisonous insects, and spirits. The Yellow Emperor’s side, led by the Wind Master and Rain Master, controlled the gods and spirits of heaven and earth. The most terrifying aspect was that the Yellow Emperor sought the help of a foreign zombie transformed into a drought demon. In myths, the drought demon had a terrifying appearance, with green eyes on its head, hair made of small snakes, and a body covered in white steel hair, possessing immense power. Wherever the drought demon went, not a drop of rain would fall, often leading to three years of severe drought, turning the land barren and causing all living things to die of thirst.
But legends are just legends; real zombies are not that exaggerated. The most widely circulated stories about zombies come from the practice of “corpse driving” in western Hunan. This practice, also known as “spirit moving,” “shadow walking,” or “corpse walking,” is part of the Maoshan arts and originated in the counties of Yuanling, Luxi, Chenxi, and Xupu in western Hunan. Due to the mountainous terrain, transportation was difficult, leading to the emergence of the corpse-driving profession. Typically, before the body decomposes, a practitioner would drive it back to its hometown for burial.
The corpses they drive are known as “walking corpses.” The practitioners are called “corpse drivers.” They usually move the corpses to a mortuary or a fixed inn before dawn. The methods of corpse driving are varied and bizarre, including floating corpses, carrying corpses, flying corpses, and even jar corpses, which are hard to believe and have led to many terrifying zombie legends.
The corpses are usually draped in large black shrouds, wearing tall felt hats, with yellow paper talismans hanging over their faces. In front of these shrouded corpses, a corpse driver holds a copper gong. The driver beats the gong while leading the corpses forward, often chanting, “Dust to dust, earth to earth, life is hard. Zombies, zombies, follow me, return to your hometown and enter the underworld.”
Corpse drivers do not carry lanterns but instead shake a soul-calling bell to alert night travelers and inform households with dogs to keep them inside. If there are more than two corpses, the driver ties them together with a straw rope, spacing them about seven or eight feet apart. Another theory suggests that corpse drivers use a Miao herbal medicine applied to the corpse’s mouth and nose, allowing it to walk like a living person at night, though it cannot speak or think, and obediently follows the driver’s commands.
In western Hunan, the corpse-driving profession has existed since ancient times. To learn this trade, one must meet two conditions: be brave and physically strong. Additionally, one must become a disciple. Corpse drivers do not take on apprentices lightly. Parents must first sign a contract, and then the driver interviews the candidate. Generally, the candidate must be at least 16 years old, over 1.7 meters tall, and have a somewhat unattractive appearance. The driver first has the candidate stare at the sun, then spin around and suddenly stop, requiring them to immediately identify the cardinal directions. If they cannot, they are not accepted. If one cannot distinguish directions during the day, they will be lost at night while driving corpses. Next, the driver tests the candidate’s ability to find objects and carry loads. Since corpses are not alive, they cannot climb steep slopes, so the driver must carry or drag them up. Finally, there is a test where the driver places a tung leaf on a remote grave and has the candidate retrieve it alone at night. Only then can it be determined if the candidate has the courage to be a corpse driver. Passing these three tests qualifies one to become an apprentice.
Moreover, a corpse driver must master 36 skills before they can drive corpses. The first skill is the “standing skill,” which involves making the corpse stand up. The second is the “walking skill,” allowing the corpse to move freely. The third is the “turning skill,” enabling the corpse to change direction. Other skills include the “descending skill,” “bridge-crossing skill,” and “silent dog skill.” The “silent dog skill” prevents dogs from barking at the corpses, as barking can frighten the corpses, especially if the dogs attack, leaving the corpses defenseless and vulnerable to injury. The final skill is the “soul-returning skill.” The better this skill, the more souls are returned, making corpse driving easier and more fluid.
Corpse drivers live like ordinary farmers, working from sunrise to sunset. Only when they receive a corpse-driving task do they dress up and set out. Although they practice this profession, they avoid using the term “corpse driving.” Instead, insiders refer to it as “walking feet” or “taking a walk.” When a corpse driver agrees to a task, they take out a special yellow paper, have the deceased’s name, birth date, death date, and gender written on it, draw a talisman, attach it to the paper, and then carry it on their person. The driver’s attire is also unique: they always wear straw sandals, a blue cloth robe, a black belt, a blue cloth hat, and carry a pouch of talismans. The first thing a master teaches a disciple is how to draw talismans. These peculiar talismans, drawn with cinnabar on yellow paper, resemble both characters and drawings. In case of emergencies, these talismans are hung on trees or doors facing west, or sometimes burned and consumed with water.
There is also a saying in western Hunan about “three to drive, three not to drive.” Those who were beheaded (with their heads and bodies sewn together), hanged, or died in a standing cage can be driven. The reason is that they were forced to die, unwillingly, missing their hometown and loved ones. Their souls can be summoned with magic, sealed into their bodies with talismans, and then driven over mountains and rivers, even across water, to return home.
Those who died of illness, committed suicide by drowning or hanging, or were struck by lightning or burned to death cannot be driven. Those who died of illness have lived out their natural lifespan, and their souls have already been taken by the underworld’s envoys to the King of Hell. Magic cannot summon their souls back from the gates of hell. Those who committed suicide by drowning or hanging have had their souls “replaced” (i.e., taken by a substitute). Moreover, they might be in the process of transferring, and summoning a new soul could disrupt the old soul’s reincarnation. In the underworld, the King of Hell despises those who do not value their lives and commit suicide. Even if they did no evil in life, they are generally not allowed to reincarnate immediately but must wait for someone with a similar experience of suicide. This can be a long process, so some suicidal ghosts resort to vile methods to drive others to suicide, as mentioned earlier with the concept of “ghosts seeking substitutes.”
Additionally, those struck by lightning are considered to have committed grave sins, and those burned to death often have incomplete bodies, making them unsuitable for driving. This is understandable. According to esoteric Buddhism, there are two types of people without an intermediate state (the transitional period after death): the extremely virtuous, whose souls ascend to heaven immediately, and the extremely wicked, whose souls plunge directly into the eighteenth layer of hell, suffering endlessly. Those who die untimely deaths are often the result of past evil karma, so practitioners cannot help them.
The corpses are generally covered with wide black shrouds, wearing tall felt hats on their heads, and with several yellow talisman papers pressed on their foreheads, hanging down over their faces. In front of these black-shrouded corpses walks a corpse-mover holding a copper gong. The corpse-mover walks ahead, striking the small yin gong in one hand and leading the line of corpses forward, usually chanting: “Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth; life is hard indeed. Zombie, zombie, follow me; return quickly to your hometown and descend to the underworld.”
The corpse-mover carries no lantern but shakes a soul-capturing bell in his hand, warning night travelers to keep away and alerting households with dogs to lock them up. If there are more than two corpses, the corpse-mover strings them together with straw ropes, spacing each about seven or eight feet apart. Another theory claims that the reason corpse-movers can move corpses is by applying a kind of herbal medicine from Miao ethnic families onto the corpses’ mouths and noses, allowing them to walk like normal people at night, although they cannot speak or think and will obediently follow the mover’s commands.
Since ancient times, the profession of corpse-moving has existed among the folk of western Hunan. To learn this profession, one must meet two conditions: first, one must be brave, and second, one must be physically fit. Additionally, one must have a master. Corpse-movers do not accept apprentices casually. Apprentices must first have their parents sign a written agreement, and then the master will conduct an interview. Generally speaking, the apprentice must be at least sixteen years old, over 1.7 meters tall, and there is also a very special requirement—that the apprentice must be somewhat unattractive. The master will first ask the candidate to stare at the midday sun, then spin around, and suddenly stop, asking the candidate to immediately determine the cardinal directions. If the candidate cannot tell directions, he will not be accepted. Because if you cannot distinguish directions at that moment, it means you won’t be able to navigate properly when moving corpses at night, making you unsuitable for this job. Next, the master will ask you to find objects and carry loads. After all, corpses are not living people; when encountering steep slopes, the corpses cannot climb up by themselves. The corpse-mover must carry each one up the slope on his back or shoulders. Finally, there is one more test: the master will place a tung leaf on a grave in the deep mountains and ask you to retrieve it alone at night. Only by successfully completing this task can you prove you have the courage required to become a corpse-mover. Only after passing all three tests can you become eligible to be an apprentice corpse-mover.
Moreover, a corpse-mover must master thirty-six skills before he can move corpses. The first skill is “Corpse Standing,” which means making the corpse stand up. The second skill is “Walking,” which means making the corpse walk and stop at will. The third skill is “Turning,” which means making the corpse turn corners while walking. Additionally, there are skills such as “Downhill,” “Bridge Crossing,” and “Silencing Dogs.” The “Silencing Dogs” skill prevents dogs along the way from barking at the corpses. Corpses are afraid of dogs barking; once dogs bark, the corpses may get startled and fall over, especially if the dogs bite them, as the corpses have no ability to resist. The corpses could be bitten so badly that their bodies are left unrecognizably torn. The last skill is “Soul Restoration,” and the better this skill is mastered, the more souls can be restored, making the corpse-moving process particularly smooth and effortless.
When at home, corpse-movers live like ordinary farmers, working from sunrise to sunset. Only when they receive a corpse-moving task do they dress up and go out to perform their duties. Although they work in this profession, they avoid using the term “corpse-moving.” Therefore, when insiders request their services, they say, “Master, please go for a walk with your feet” or “take a walk.” If a corpse-mover agrees, he will take out a specially made yellow paper and ask you to write the deceased’s name, birth date, death date, gender, etc., on it. Then he draws a talisman on the yellow paper and keeps it on his person. The clothing of a corpse-mover is also very special: regardless of the weather, he always wears straw sandals, a long blue robe, a black belt around his waist, a blue cloth hat on his head, and carries a bag of talismans around his waist. When a master teaches an apprentice, the first thing he teaches is drawing talismans. These peculiar talismans are drawn on yellow paper with vermilion ink, combining both writing and pictorial elements. When unexpected situations arise during the journey, these special talismans are hung on trees or doors facing west, or sometimes burned, mixed with water, and swallowed.
Corpse-moving in western Hunan also follows the principle of “Three Corpses to Move, Three Not to Move.” Those who were beheaded (their heads must be sewn back onto their bodies), hanged, or died standing in a cage can be moved. The reason is that they were forced to die unwillingly, longing for their hometowns and missing their loved ones. Therefore, magical techniques can summon their souls, which are then contained within their corpses by talismans, and then driven by magical arts to climb mountains and cross rivers, even traveling by boat, to return to their hometowns.
However, three types of corpses cannot be moved: those who died of illness, those who willingly committed suicide by drowning or hanging, and those whose bodies were incomplete due to lightning strikes or fire. Those who died of illness have already lived out their natural lifespan, and their souls have been taken by the Yama officers to King Yama, so magical techniques cannot summon their souls back from the gates of the underworld. As for those who drowned themselves or hanged themselves, their souls have been “replaced” and taken away (meaning they found substitutes). Moreover, they might be in the process of transferring their suffering. If a new soul is summoned, the old soul won’t have a substitute, which could affect its reincarnation. In the underworld’s punishment system, King Yama greatly dislikes those who deliberately end their own lives without valuing their existence. Even if they didn’t commit evil deeds during their lifetime, they generally aren’t allowed to reincarnate immediately but must wait until someone else with a similar suicidal experience becomes available to serve as their substitute. This could be a long process, so some suicidal spirits might resort to despicable means to cause others to lose their minds and commit suicide—this is the previously mentioned phenomenon of ghosts seeking substitutes.
Additionally, those struck by lightning are usually people with grave sins, while those burned to death often have incomplete bodies, making them unsuitable for corpse-moving as well. This can actually be understood. According to Esoteric Buddhist teachings, there are two types of people who do not have a “bardo” (the transitional period after death): the first are great virtuous individuals whose souls ascend directly to heaven and join the ranks of immortals. The second are great evildoers whose souls fall directly into the eighteenth level of hell, suffering endlessly without hope of escape. Those who die violently are mostly suffering from past-life karmic retribution, so even practitioners are powerless to help them.
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