Jiang Shi

Jiang Shi are undead beings drawn from Chinese folklore, appearing as zombies or vampires in Dragon Ball. They are characterized by pale skin, red-cheeked makeup, and Qing Dynasty-era clothing. In Dragon Ball's world, some individuals are transformed into Jiang Shi through dark witchcraft, controlled via paper talismans affixed to their foreheads.

The paper talisman placed on a Jiang Shi's forehead serves as the mechanism of control over the undead creature. The talisman both sustains the undead state and binds the Jiang Shi to the will of whoever placed it. Removing the talisman can potentially break the spell that animates the Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi are traditionally depicted wearing the formal attire of the Qing Dynasty period, with pale skin and distinctive red dots on their cheeks. This styling reflects their roots in Chinese folklore, where they originated as reanimated corpses described in classical tales. Dragon Ball preserves this culturally authentic look for the traditional Jiang Shi variant.

The name Jiang Shi translates roughly to "stiff corpse," reflecting their rigid, zombie-like movement patterns. In traditional stories they are described as reanimated corpses that move by hopping with their arms outstretched. In traditional accounts they also drain the life force of living beings, functioning as a cross between Western vampires and zombies.

Individuals can be transformed into Jiang Shi through various forms of dark magic or traditional Chinese necromantic rituals. The witchcraft-created variety are identified by paper talismans placed on their foreheads, which both control them and sustain the undead state. The concept fits naturally into Dragon Ball's world, where ghosts, demons, gods, and magical transformations are all part of the established cosmology.