This article discusses a type of monster appearing at night during the Ming Dynasty. They did not have physical bodies. They sometimes looked like a cloud of mist, or they appeared in the shapes of human beings or animals. When they emerged, they seemed to have sparkling lights like eyes, or like floating fire star or fireballs. They even possessed bits of noise and sulfur-like or burning odors. When people were harassed by them, such people had skin that appeared to have scratch marks from birds, bleeding or seeping yellow substances, and they often fell unconscious. Women and children were affected the most and sometimes even death resulted. Some scholars believed these gas or dust particles were electrically charged or poisonous, thus they instigated casualties. To overcome this supernatural phenomenon, people often used torches, knives or other weapons, beat gongs or drums, or made other loud noises to drive them away. Some would scatter lime, splash water, and strike peach tree branches. The most common defenses were the sacrificial ceremonies and affixing amulets. During these times, people were often afraid to fall asleep, daily routine was greatly disrupted, productivity and the economy stalled, prices skyrocketed, especially for illumination materials such as candles and lamp oils. These panic attacks often lasted for a period of time, sometimes even months in a local region. When rumors were passing around unceasingly, this horrific atmosphere would proliferate even through several provinces. In order to calm the flurried residents, the local government officials often used a scapegoat scheme such as imprisoning Buddhist monks or Taoist priests who were alleged to have fabricated the terror and thus the officials stopped the rumors from spreading further.
