The Hopping Vampires (jiang shi) are a type of undead creature found
in Chinese folklore. Although its Chinese name is often translated as
‘Chinese hopping vampire / zombie / ghost), its literal meaning is
‘stiff corpse’. These creatures may be identified by their attire – the
uniform of a Qing Dynasty official. Additionally, the jiang shi is
recognizable by its posture and movement. The arms of these creatures
are permanently outstretched, apparently due to rigor mortis,
and they hop, rather than walk. As a result of the stiffness in their
bodies, there are many ways to turn a corpse into a jiang shi, and as
many ways to defeat them. These undead creatures appear in quite a
number of Chinese films.