Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: 疾行鬼, Abhichata, Swift-Running Ghost
Category: Ghost
The Myth
Jixing Gui, meaning the Swift-Running Ghost, is a supernatural being in Chinese tradition known for its extraordinary speed. It can run as swiftly as the wind, travel a thousand li in moments, and appear or disappear without a trace. According to traditional descriptions, it moves at night by pressing its body against walls and travelling sideways without its feet touching the ground.
Jixing Gui is counted among the thirty-six kinds of hungry ghosts described in the Buddhist scripture Sutra of the Remembrance of the True Dharma (Zhengfa Nianchu Jing). It is also known as Abhichata and is described as a type of yaksha. According to the tradition, these spirits are the rebirth of monks who broke their religious vows during their previous lives.
Despite its remarkable speed, Jixing Gui suffers from a terrible curse concerning food. It can eat only filthy things, and whenever it consumes them, its entire body bursts into flames, causing it intense agony. Some accounts also describe the swift-running spirit as pursuing and dealing with fugitives, using its supernatural speed to catch those attempting to escape.
Sources
“疾行鬼 (Jíxíngguǐ).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 16, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%96%BE%E8%A1%8C%E9%AC%BC