Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: 鼠精, Rat Spirit, Rat Demon
Category: Rat
The Myth
Shujing, meaning “Rat Spirit,” refers to supernatural rat creatures in Chinese folklore. These spirits appear in traditional tales as shapeshifters capable of taking human form and causing trouble among people. They are recorded in works such as the Yunxian Zaji and other collections of strange stories.
In Ma Chongqiu, preserved in the Taiping Guangji, a rat spirit causes supernatural disturbances before eventually being defeated by a Daoist. Another tale, recorded by the Tang dynasty writer Li Yin in the Xiaoxiang Lu, describes a group of rat spirits transforming into young men in Chang’an. They rob and murder people until a Daoist confronts them with an ancient mirror. When the mirror reveals their true nature, the disguised spirits flee, abandoning their armour and weapons.
These stories portray rat spirits as deceptive and dangerous beings whose ability to disguise themselves allows them to prey on unsuspecting people. Their supernatural powers, however, can be overcome by spiritual knowledge and the methods of a skilled Daoist.
Sources
“鼠精 (Shǔjīng).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BC%A0%E7%B2%BE