How many tails does a nine-tailed fox have?

The nine-tailed fox is a miraculous animal in ancient myths and legends of China, which is often used to symbolize good luck. It originated from Shan Hai Jing compiled during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and then spread to Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other East Asian countries in the Chinese character cultural circle. "Shan Hai Jing" says: "There are beasts on Qingqiu Mountain, which are like Kyubi no Youko foxes and sound like babies. They can eat people, but the eaters are not strange." [ 1]

The most basic feature of its image is "Kyubi no Youko". It is said that Shiping is a symbol of Switzerland. "Ruiying Atlas" said: "If the king is neutral, the nine-tailed fox will be very embarrassed." And "Song Shu Fu Rui Zhi" said: "White fox, Wang Ren." "The Book of Filial Piety" said: "Virtue is to birds and beasts, then Kyubi no Youko is a fox."

However, the nine-tailed fox was demonized at the latest in the early Northern Song Dynasty, and there was a vicious image of eating people in the early days.

The nine-tailed fox is recorded in Nanshan Jing, Overseas Jing and Shanhaijing: "In the country of Qingshan, there are foxes on its mountains, and Kyubi no Youko is also." Another cloud said, "It has four legs and cries like a baby. Sometimes it can eat people and eat the meat of a nine-tailed fox to ward off evil spirits. " Guo Pu, a famous writer and exegetist in the Western Jin Dynasty, said in his notes: "It is auspicious to go out peacefully."

Gumiho/Kyubi no Youko Fox/Nine-tailed Fox

White Tiger Yi Tong written by Ban Gu, a famous historian and writer in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ruiying Picture written by Han and Wei Dynasties in Dunhuang, Shu Wei written by Wei Shou in the Northern Qi Dynasty, etc. It is often mentioned that "if Wang doesn't slant the color, the nine-tailed fox will arrive", "Wang Faming shows, three talents get it, the nine-tailed fox will arrive" and "if Wang unifies Liuhe, see it". "Wu Yue Chun Qiu" links it with Dayu's marriage to Tu Shan Nv Jiao, which shows that it is not only auspicious, but also noble. The nine-tailed fox, rabbit, toad and three-legged dog in the Han Dynasty stone reliefs are juxtaposed with the Queen Mother of the West to show the auspicious father and son. Yi Yin, the monarch of Xia Dynasty, acquired the nine-tailed fox after the Eastern Expedition, but even the nine-tailed fox, which symbolizes many auspicious signs, has its negative meanings.