Zhong Kui

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% detail of "&h'ki (u" (&h'ki striding), #y )kumura *asano#u in pillar print format, c. +,-+.+,/+. Zhong Kui (Chinese0 1 pinyin0 Zhng Ku1 Wade-2iles0 Chung Kwei1 3apanese0 Shki) is a figure of Chinese mythology. raditionally regarded as a "an4uisher of ghosts and e"il #eings, and reputedly a#le to command 56,666 demons, his image is often painted on household gates as a guardian spirit, as well as in places of #usiness where high-"alue goods are in"ol"ed.

Contents

+ 7ecoming the king of ghosts 8 !opulari(ation in later dynasties 9 :n !opular Culture - &ee also / ;eferences < =>ternal links

Becoming the king of ghosts

%n ink painting of ?hong Kui #y the &hun(hi =mperor (r. +<-9.+<<+) of the @ing dynasty, kept at the !alace *useum in 7eiAing. %ccording to folklore, ?hong Kui tra"elled with Bu !ing (), a friend from his hometown, to take part in the imperial e>aminations at the capital. hough ?hong achie"ed top honours in the e>ams, his title of "(huangyuan" was stripped #y the emperor #ecause of his disfigured appearance. :n anger, ?hong Kui committed suicide upon the palace steps #y hurling himself against the palace gate until his head was #roken. Bu !ing #uried him. Buring his Audgment, the Cell King saw potential in ?hong. :ntelligent enough to score top honors in the imperial e>aminations, #ut damned to hell #ecause he committed suicide. he Cell King (Audge) then ga"e him the title, as king of ghost, fore"er to hunt, capture, maintain and order ghosts. %fter ?hong #ecame king of ghosts in Cell, he returned to his hometown on Chinese Dew EearFs ="e. o repay Bu !ingFs kindness, ?hong Kui ga"e his younger sister in marriage to Bu.G+H

Popularization in later dynasties

?hong KuiFs popularity in folklore can #e traced to the reign of =mperor Iuan(ong of ang China (,+8 to ,/<). %ccording to &ong Bynasty sources, once the =mperor Iuan(ong was gra"ely ill. Ce had a dream in which he saw two ghosts. he smaller of the ghosts stole a purse from imperial consort Eang 2uifei and a flute #elonging to the emperor. he #igger ghost, wearing the hat of an official, captured the smaller ghost, tore out his eye and ate it. he #igger ghost then introduced himself as ?hong Kui. Ce said that he had sworn to rid the empire of e"il. When the emperor awoke, he had reco"ered from his illness. &o he commissioned the court painter Wu Bao(i to produce an image of ?hong Kui to show to the officials. his was highly influential to later representations of ?hong.G8H

2ong Kai, Zhong Kui Traveling (c. +96-), Freer 2allery of %rt in Washington, B.C.

In Popular Culture
?hong Kui is a playa#le character in the Free to !lay *ultiplayer online #attle arena game "&mite", where his title is " he Bemon @ueller".

See also

Chinese 7uddhism Feng shui aoism

References
1. Dagendra Kumar &ingh (+JJ,). n!erna!ional enc"clo#ae$ia o% &u$$hi'm( n$ia )11* . %nmol !u#lications. pp. +9,8.+9,-. :&7D J,5-5+-,-55+/<--. ;etrie"ed , 3une 86+9. 8. ;ichard Kon 2lahn (866-). The Sini'!er +a"( The Divine an$ !he Demonic in Chine'e ,eligiou' Cul!ure. $ni"ersity of California