Fengshen Yanyi

Nine Tails understandings within Chinese Culture In Chinese culture, the nine-tailed fox spirit is referred to the Huli Jing, which is a creature that can either be good or bad. The fox spirit has believed to originally manifested within Chinese society. The creature is often represented by Chinese literature, folklore, and mythology. Especially in the Han Dynasty, it is believed that the first manifestation of the species transformation gave rise to the fox spirit. The idea that non-human creatures with advance knowledge and age could acquire human form is presented in works such as the Lunheng by Wang Chong. As these traditions developed over the course of history, the fox's manifestation and capacity for transformation were shaped.5 This provides an understanding of the nine tail fox spirit’s origin and how it was first manifested. The idea believed in early Chinese culture is that supernatural beings can manifest the highest form of power, which is believed to be the ability of transformation. By transforming, it provides a value in deception in Chinese culture and “hiding one’s true self” so that they can observe normal beings of their true self and be judged upon that perception. Even though the transformation is the way to deception, it may not prove the only way within Chinese society. Deception can come in a form of beauty, and that great beauty in ancient Chinese culture oftentimes proves of its downfall. For example, during the Shang Dynasty, Daji, a beautiful…

exhibits not only the placid and reassuring feature of Doumu, but also shows her as a role of a strong protector. Also, she has eight arms, two palms put together in front of her breast, six outstretched at her sides, showing a welcoming posture to embrace people. She clinches sun and moon disks, bowl and arrows, bell and vase in her six side hands, reflecting her power of controlling the order of the universe and protecting and saving people (“Table screen depicting the Taoist deity Doumu and…