Zhong Kui (鍾馗) is a famed figure in Chinese folklore, traditionally known as the Demon Queller or Ghost King who protects people from evil spirits. He is usually depicted as a large, fierce-looking scholar with a heavy black beard, bulging eyes, and official robes, wielding a sword to vanquish demons. Over the centuries, images of Zhong Kui have been painted on doors or carried as charms to ward off disease and misfortune.
According to legend, Zhong Kui lived during the Tang Dynasty (7th–8th century CE) and was a brilliant scholar. He is said to have excelled in the imperial examinations but was disqualified because he was extremely ugly. Ashamed, Zhong Kui committed suicide by smashing his head on the steps of the imperial palace.
The story goes that Emperor Xuanzong (reigned 712–756) later fell ill, and in a dream a mysterious figure appeared to slay a demon afflicting the emperor. Upon waking fully cured, the emperor summoned his court painter (famous Wu Daozi) to capture the image of the dream figure. The painting showed Zhong Kui entering the palace and devouring a small goblin. Grateful for the miracle, the emperor posthumously awarded Zhong Kui an official degree and declared him a divine protector.
Although the core legend was formed by the late Tang or early Song periods, references to Zhong Kui circulated in many literary sources. The scholar Shen Kuo (1031–1095) recounts the story of the examination, suicide, and imperial dream in his writings. By the Song dynasty, Zhong Kui had become a common subject in ritual and literature surrounding the New Year and other exorcistic ceremonies.
One historian observes that as early as 706 CE, the rhyme dictionary Qieyun already called Zhong Kui the "name of a deity," and Tang poets like Liu Yuxi (772–842) mention receiving Zhong Kui paintings from the emperor at new year. By medieval times Zhong Kui was firmly entrenched in Chinese myth and ritual.
Zhong Kui's dramatic story made him a popular subject in Chinese art. Artists have portrayed him for centuries battling demons, often in festive or auspicious scenes. In paintings he typically wears a black robe and scholar's cap, brandishing a broad sword (sometimes called the "Demon-Slaying Sword") against crawling or flying monsters.
Because of the pun jiamei ("marrying off one's sister") with zhuimei ("subjugating demons"), a well-known motif is Zhong Kui escorting his sister to her wedding, attended by comic demons. A late 13th-century Yuan dynasty scroll by Yan Geng shows Zhong Kui drunken on a donkey while demons carry his festively dressed sister on a water-buffalo sedan.
Zhong Kui also became a figure in Chinese theatre. The Dance of Zhong Kui emerged in the Song and Ming eras, eventually entering Peking Opera repertory. In these performances Zhong Kui is a popular character: his face is painted with fierce makeup (a red forehead with the character "shou" for longevity, a red nose, and giant bat-like ears) to emphasize his supernatural power.
Beyond elite art, Zhong Kui has long been part of popular culture and rituals. His image is especially tied to festivals. It was customary by New Year's Eve for families to hang a scroll or painting of Zhong Kui on their doors. Paintings of Zhong Kui were often presented as lucky gifts, and small statuettes or charms featuring him were placed under eaves to guard a home.
Zhong Kui is also associated with other seasonal customs. One Daoist tradition holds that during the Dragon Boat (Duanwu) Festival in midsummer, Zhong Kui protects against the five poisonous creatures (snakes, spiders, centipedes, toads, scorpions) that become active in the heat. Many regions perform a "Zhong Kui Dance" or paint his image on doors to cut the five poisons and "drive out evil."
Over time Zhong Kui became formally worshipped in Taoist temples as a door-guardian or plague-exorcist deity. In some regions one finds Zhong Kui temples or altars, especially in Shaanxi (near his supposed home of Mt. Zhongnan) and Hunan. For example, Changsha's Furong Mountain has a "Zhong Kui Temple" where he is honored during festivals.
In Chinese temple halls Zhong Kui is typically enshrined flanking other gods, or depicted in mural scenes with demons bound or cowering before him. In folk shrines he may stand alongside door-god generals on either side of a gate, symbolizing his role as a guardian against misfortune.
The motif of a powerful figure subduing evil spirits is common worldwide. In East Asia Shōki (鍾馗) is simply the Japanese name for Zhong Kui, imported from Chinese belief. He appears in Japanese art and folklore in much the same role.
In Western tradition, saints and angels often fill a similar symbolic niche. For instance, the Christian Saint George is famously depicted slaying a dragon — a stand-in for evil or Satan — to rescue a town. Likewise, Archangel Michael is frequently shown vanquishing a serpent or dragon representing the Devil. In essence, Zhong Kui belongs to a broad pattern of culture heroes who face down demons to safeguard the community.
Throughout history to the present day, Zhong Kui has remained a vivid and friendly menacing figure in Chinese art and popular religion. His tale of injustice, sacrifice, and redemption communicates traditional values of loyalty and justice.