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Aug 19, 2010

ക WhyAskWhy¿ (5) ~ Hopping Chinese Vampires 僵屍 jiāng shī

The Lunar 7th month aka the Hungry Ghost Month would stir up lots of taboos and scary stories. Ever Why*Ask*Why the Chinese vampires hop around with arms, hands and fingers raised at shoulder level? Oh me oh my could this be real or the movie makers fabricated the whole thing? In the movies you will see with a strike of the gong by the taoist priest the corpses will hop and strike two would hop another step only with the paper amulet 符咒[fúzhòu] in Mandarin, glued on the forehead, very often called "fish head" {hu dou} in Hokkien coz of the similarity in sound. The dead would be dressed in a special garment used by high ranking officials during the Qing Dynasty known as 'Longevity' clothes 壽衣 [shòu yì] which is still in 'fashion' for the dead until today. Check it out on the video below if you have not seen any hopping Chinese vampires  僵屍  [ jiāng shī ] before {rest assured not scary at all, trust me!} and then continue reading the second part to get a better picture..



Those ancient days 500 years ago the only means of common transport is by foot and horses were practically too expensive then. When someone passed on and away from their village, their corpse needs to be transported back home for the funeral ceremony and burial. The then 'courier' service for corpses had been in business already. In order to maximise the time, space and man power two person would be good enough to transport the corpses with the taoist priest chanting along. Two long strong bamboo poles are the only 'vehicle' required. With the corpses cleanly washed and thereafter dressed in longevity clothes, the corpse's two arms will be tied securely at shoulder level onto the two bamboo poles which are placed below the armpits to support the corpse. [For illustration kindly refer to the pix for an example of 3 vampires tied on to 2 bamboo poles, viewing from top elevation]. Once done the two courier men, one at the front and the other at the back of the two bamboo poles with a few corpses in the middle would be ready to move on. When they begin their journey there will be a harmonic bouncing motion due to the flexibility of the two bamboo poles thus from afar it seems like the vampires are hopping in the night. Of course the movie maker would add salt and pepper to spice up the scene with the power of the priest who can control those vampires with just a bell and amulets and etc.

So could this be true and will the theory of bamboo poles story making the corpses hop like ghosts hold water or just another hearsay or moviemaker's fantasy? Would leave it entirely up to you.. Bananaஇ'z Beleaf It Or Not!

28 Bunchesஇ:

Gratitude said...

Dun know whether it is true, but I surely love watching the "keong si" movies. Heard that the actor who always plays the lead actor priest died under suspicious circumstances.
+Ant+

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

+Ant+ இ wow so fast within mins you catch up on me..hehe yeah there's this old actor who always acted the sifu part. You mean he died suspiciously in terms of foul play or crossed over to the other world mysteriously? Eeeee!!!

Gratitude said...

hahahah...i'm so fast coz i'm free now and "kaypohness" has gotten into my bloodstream lolz

I think you know who that actor is too. He's the very slim one with a moutasche. He died pretty young too. I read it from somewhere that it was sudden death.

[SK] said...

hmmm, never ever thought of why they hop.. and your way of explanation (or you wikipedia it) seems quite xxxx (dunno the word), but i thot they are actually put into the coffin already??

cleffairy said...

Ohh... don't know true or not? Hmm... I dun like watching those ghost movie tho. Usually looks cheap to me. :(

[SK] said...

but i guess with the modern technology, they won't be doing this now right?? and furthermore, they will now receive Benz with chauffer, iPhone, Astro with remote control, big houses with large garden and maids etc~~

Tekkaus said...

I have read about this bro. Yeah! So it was we who created them lar.:p

MODERN ROBINSON CRUSOE said...

Haha - Kiong si not frigthening anymore - The spooky lady in white dress reigns now but thx for sharing the video - reminiscence of past favorite Kiong si movies :D

smallkucing said...

Not sure true or not...Rather scary watching this at night

Merryn said...

alamax bananaz... i'm reading this at night and i'm all alone downstairs! ish!!!! scare me leh...

Pete said...

Jingle Vamp, jingle Vamp....la la la....ha ha ha!

foongpc said...

I have heard this before too, but there is also another story that said that these dead people do indeed hop on their own. How that was done was beyond me. But during ancient times, if you hear the bells, you had better clear the way for these jumping corpses to pass by! Rather frightening right?

Caroline said...

urgh! scary! they r all chinese vampires right? lol!

fufu said...

lucky i am now in brazil... hohohohoho :) none of my business lol

Wenny said...

Hey Bananaz, thanks for the clarification. I've always doubted how the movies made it to be but was too lazy to research. I definitely would take your word for it. At least it's rational.

suituapui said...

Dunno anything about ghosts...and not going to read about them in the 7th Month. LOL!!!

Lily Riani said...

theres a joke here...

this is the month of ghost, where it falls on the same month as puasa/fasting for the muslim. and in muslim understanding, during this time all evil spirit and ghost alike will be chained in hell for a month. hemmm.... thus.... which one should we follow, ghost - chain or let lose... i bet the ghost themselves are confuse. hahahha....

Kelvin said...

I heard tat the priest make the job so eerie is coz they are smuggling and they dun wanna the guard to check the coffin.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

[SK] இ cant find a 4 letter word (xxxx)? haha. Oh the vampires died a few km away from home and are transported back to their village by bamboo poles to be placed in coffin at home for funeral ceremony. In real life don't think they can't hop back home only the movies add spice to it. Oh this is the first part of sending the corpse back home and once the funeral is done the coffin with the corpse would be taken to the burial ground.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

[SK]இ yeah modern days you can see the coffin being carried in hearse either Benz or van etc to the burial/cremation site and all those paper stuff burnt together..

cleffairy இ agree some may not love to watch the hopping movies especially the vampires look so fierce haha..

Tekkaus இ script writers are vey imaginative can create anything under the moon..hehe

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

MRC இ Bananaz don't fancy horror or ghost movies too disturbing during the initial 72 hours..

smallkucing இ seeing this video of them hopping is ok but not their faces with long bloody teeth and heavy makeups..

Merryn இ oops sorry but this video is OK one not that horrifying..

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Pete இ since when Santa being bitten by vampire to transform jingle vamp jingle vamp haha..

foongpc இ not too sure they can jump on their own quite impossible haha. Or course people will run far away when hearing the bells coz they are coming with the dead corpses hehe..

Caroline இ not sure they are all Chinese or male..could be mixed blood haha..

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

fufu இ think you are safe in Curitiba? high tech vampires can fly just be careful..haha

Wenny Yap இ cannot believe the vampires can jump on their own the bamboo poles made them bounce like hopping especially at night time.

suituapui இ ignorance is bliss ..lolz

Lily Riani இ yo the ghosts are truly confused and humans are equally confused too..thankz for sharing that during Ramadan 'they' are under 'lock up'..

Kelvin இ the more eerie & more scary do have their advantage for evil deeds haha.

bluedreamer27 said...

yikes... should scare more to living than dead...
but just like what they say, You better see it to believe it.. haha however, if you see them and if there are real vampires, then, you have no chance to prove that the theory is right coz you probably dead by now haha

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

blue இ seeing is believing? better not see, hear or say haha..

suituapui said...

Dunno...how they come about to portray ghosts and vampires like that in Chinese movies. Have to ask those who have seen what they're like. The western ones - so handsome and sexy - re. Robert & Taylor of the Twilight movies. Bet many wouldn't mind being sucked... Oops!!! Hahahahahaha!!!

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

suituapui இ the 'vampires' could be true in real life in ancient times if they die a few km from home and their corpse are transported back for funeral ceremony using bamboo poles but the movie makers make them hopped with some color effects to give more umphhhh haha..

Ayie said...

who would really know, right?

 
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