Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: Heavenly Ghost, Aoshani
Category: Ghost
The Myth
Baijia Ni, also known as the Heavenly Ghost or Aoshani, is a malevolent spirit in Lisu mythology that brings illness and suffering to the living. It can cause severe headaches, deafness, coughing, and other diseases. In the most serious cases, its influence can lead to death. It belongs to a wider group of supernatural beings known as Ni, the spirits feared by the Lisu people.
To appease Baijia Ni, people perform a sacrificial ritual involving the killing of a cow. A chicken must also be offered, with a rooster required when the sacrificed cow is a bull. The ritual includes specific plants and materials, such as poplar, pine, cypress, wild bamboo, and golden bamboo. These offerings are intended to address the spirit and protect people from the illnesses and misfortune it can bring.
Sources
“白加尼 (Báijiāní).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%99%BD%E5%8A%A0%E5%B0%BC