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Stuff You Should Know

Short Stuff: China's Corpse Walkers

Published October 15, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

The hosts discuss a Chinese funerary custom from the Zhangji region of Hunan province in which Taoist priests would "walk" corpses back to their birthplace so the dead could be properly buried and avoid becoming restless, problematic spirits. They explain the beliefs behind corpse walking, how the rituals supposedly worked with black cats and magical reanimation, and then reveal the practical mechanics of how priests likely created the illusion using bamboo poles and group transport known as corpse herding. Along the way, Chuck shares a personal story about rescuing and nursing a kitten named Olivia back to health.

Topics Covered

Funerary customs Folklore Ghosts and paranormal experiences Superstitions Religion and spirituality Halloween Ritual symbolism Personal narrative

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Quick Takeaways

  • In parts of Hunan province, it was believed that people who died away from their birthplace had to be returned home for burial or their spirits would become restless and vex the living.
  • Taoist priests were traditionally responsible for "corpse walking," magically reanimating bodies to follow them home at night, guided by lanterns and chants.
  • A black cat was said to reanimate the corpse each night by rubbing against it and generating static electricity, according to local belief.
  • A more efficient practice called corpse herding involved multiple corpses transported together in a line, managed by several priests and runners who warned towns in advance.
  • An account from writer Louise Hung's grandfather describes seeing a line of lurching, hopping corpses with white cloths over their heads moving through town to the beat of a gong.
  • The hosts point out a rational explanation: priests likely carried corpses on their backs or suspended from bamboo poles under a shared robe or framework to create the illusion of walking.
  • The custom dates back to at least the Qing Dynasty around 1616 and apparently persisted into the 1960s before Mao reportedly stamped it out as superstitious and counter-revolutionary.
  • Chuck shares a detailed story about rescuing a very sick kitten, Olivia, and ultimately deciding to keep her after she bonded with their dog despite initial concerns.

Podcast Notes

Introduction and episode framing

Hosts introduce themselves and the Short Stuff format

Josh welcomes listeners and notes that it's a Short Stuff episode[0:32]
• He says "hey, and welcome to the short stuff" and identifies himself and Chuck
Mention of production team being present "in spirit"[0:40]
• Josh notes that Jerry and Dave are "here in spirit," emphasizing it's just the two hosts speaking

Spooky, Halloween-adjacent theme

Josh connects the episode topic to spooky or Halloween themes[0:43]
• He describes the episode as a "pretty spooky real-life Halloween-adjacent" topic, even though it's a real custom in China
Confirmation it's a Stuff You Should Know episode[1:00]
• Chuck says "spooky month continues. It's stuff you should know," situating the topic within a themed month

Belief that the dead must be returned home

Geographic setting: Zhangji region in Hunan province

Josh introduces the specific region associated with the custom[1:06]
• He says they are going to the "Zhangji region" of Hunan province, located in south-central China

Cultural belief about dying away from home

Explanation that locals believed the dead must be buried in their birthplace[1:26]
• Josh explains that if someone dies away from their home, especially their birthplace, custom dictates they must be returned there to be buried
Consequences of failing to return a body home[1:37]
• If not returned home, the person's spirit would be restless and would vex the living, possibly even possessing people
Reality that people sometimes die away from home[1:37]
• Josh notes that despite the custom, people do occasionally die away from home, creating a problem that needed a remedy

Historical context of corpse walking tradition

Rural life and likelihood of dying near home

Chuck describes travel patterns in rural China historically[2:02]
• He says rural peasants didn't travel much, so they typically died close to home, making the issue relatively rare

Dating of the corpse walking custom

Approximate time period when the tradition began[2:17]
• Josh states that the tradition dates back to around 1616 and continued into the 20th century

Association with the Qing Dynasty and later suppression

Roots in the Qing Dynasty[2:24]
• Chuck says the custom finds its roots in the Qing Dynasty
Reported continuation into the 1960s and Mao's role[2:50]
• Chuck notes the idea that they were performing corpse walking even in the 1960s is interesting
• He adds that it was apparently Mao who stamped out the practice because it was considered superstitious and counter-revolutionary
Uncertainty about present-day practice[2:50]
• Chuck says he doesn't know if corpse walking still goes on in random pockets, though it's much easier to transport corpses home today
• He allows that traditionalists might still practice it, though this is couched as speculation ("you never know")

Role of Taoist priests and basic methods

Taoist priests as corpse walkers

Priests' responsibility for returning bodies[2:58]
• Josh states that traditionally, Taoist priests were responsible for walking corpses back home

Two methods: corpse walking and corpse herding

Overview of options available to priests[3:01]
• Josh says priests basically had two options: corpse walking and a more efficient method, corpse herding

Corpse walking: the magical narrative

Corpse walking defined as concept

Corpse walking as a magical event in local belief[3:19]
• Josh emphasizes that corpse walking was seen as a magical event where a Taoist priest reanimated a corpse enough for it to walk behind him back home
Dead person walking long distances to be buried[3:37]
• He notes that the dead person would walk back home with the Taoist priest, which is what corpse walking refers to

Travel conditions and timing

Duration of journeys[3:47]
• Chuck says these walks could take days, weeks, or months depending on distance from home
Traveling at night and reasons for it[3:52]
• He explains the priest carried a lantern lit both day and night but usually traveled at night because it was considered bad luck for villagers to see such a procession
Runners warning villages ahead of time[4:00]
• Chuck mentions runners ahead of the procession who would bang a gong and warn villagers that a corpse was coming

Appearance and control of the walking corpse

Description of the corpse and priest[4:09]
• The corpse is described as very tall, dressed in a black robe, and following the priest's directions
Use of vocal cues to direct the corpse[4:20]
• The priest would say things like "yo-ho, yo-ho" so the corpse knew which way to go
• Josh jokes that the priest might call out obstacles, e.g., a pothole ahead, and the corpse would walk around it

Presence and role of black cats in the ritual

Black cat as constant companion of the procession[4:43]
• Josh says you would also see a black cat running along with the priest and the corpse
Black cat as source of reanimation via static electricity[4:57]
• The procession supposedly never traveled without a black cat because each night the cat would rub itself all over the corpse
• The belief was that static electricity from the cat's fur reanimated the corpse to move again

Chuck's personal story about rescuing a kitten

Introduction of Olivia the kitten

Chuck uses the mention of a cat to segue into his own story[5:19]
• He says he wants to take a quick moment to talk about his new kitten and directs people to his Instagram @ChuckThePodcaster

Rescue circumstances and initial health issues

How Olivia was found[5:19]
• Chuck explains Olivia was rescued from the undercarriage of a car
Serious medical condition of the kitten[5:09]
• He describes her as very sick with worms and bacterium, seemingly near death
• He adds that her "little butthole" had to be stitched shut and later unstitched, emphasizing the intensity of her medical ordeal

Emotional journey and decision to keep her

Fear of losing Olivia and nursing her back to health[5:39]
• Chuck recalls thinking they were going to lose her, but they nursed her back to health
Concerns about integrating her with their dog[4:50]
• He initially thought they couldn't keep her because their dog Gibson "has no chill"
Outcome: kitten and dog bond, decision to keep her[5:09]
• Chuck says it turns out Gibson and Olivia are in love, and he thinks they are going to keep her
• He jokes that their other two cats will hate this and says on Instagram that the other cats "can get bent"
Josh's reaction and closing of tangent[6:07]
• Josh calls it a wonderful story and welcomes Olivia to the family
• Chuck notes Olivia is not a black cat and suggests taking a break before finishing the corpse walkers topic

Corpse herding: the more efficient method

Transition from solo corpse walking to group transport

Josh restates the two ways of transporting corpses[8:27]
• He reiterates that the first method is corpse walking and introduces corpse herding as the more efficient version

Analogy to modern car transport

Comparison between corpse herding and moving multiple cars[8:41]
• Josh compares corpse herding to modern car transport, where multiple cars are grouped together on a truck and organized by region
• He says this grouping-by-region concept was essentially behind corpse herding

Organization of priests and corpses in corpse herding

More priests involved due to multiple corpses[8:45]
• Chuck explains there were more priests because there were more corpses: one up front, one in back, and possibly on the sides
Use of runners and warnings to townsfolk[8:59]
• He notes that this is when runners likely came into play, warning townsfolk ahead of the group's arrival

Visual analogy: NBA halftime dummy-dancer act

Chuck's description of a familiar performance gimmick

Halftime act with rods and dummy figures[9:12]
• Chuck describes an NBA halftime performer with a curtain rod through the top of their outfit and attached at the bottom, with dummy people mimicking their motions
• He says every movement the central person makes is mirrored by several fake dummies, so it appears as if multiple people are dancing in sync
Comparison of that act to corpse herding imagery[8:41]
• Chuck says the description of corpse herding made him picture something like that halftime act, with multiple figures moving in coordinated fashion

Clarification of formation and priest positions

Josh explains actual formation was single-file[9:50]
• Josh clarifies that instead of being on either side, the corpses were in a single-file line, all following a lead priest
Side priests corralling the line[9:58]
• There were priests on either side to keep the corpses from wandering off, which they framed as preventing them from attempting to possess people or steal their qi

Firsthand account from Louise Hung's grandfather

Introduction of the written account

Identification of writer and source[10:13]
• Josh mentions a Chinese-American writer named Louise Hung, who wrote an account of her grandfather's experience as a young boy
• He notes that she posted it on the "Order of the Good Death" website, which the hosts say they have discussed many times

Setting of the grandfather's experience

Corpse procession passing through his town[10:35]
• Josh summarizes that Hung's grandfather and his brother lived in a town where a corpse procession came through
Reaction of townspeople to approaching procession[10:35]
• When they heard the gong, everyone, including the boys, hid and tried to stay out of sight
The boys' bravery and what they saw[10:41]
• Hung wrote that the brothers were brave enough to peek out and saw a line of corpses lurching, hopping, and swaying through the streets to the beat of the gong
• The corpses had white cloths covering their heads, faces positioned upward and forward, supposedly looking toward their final resting place

Questioning the supernatural explanation

Affirmation that the processions really occurred

Josh emphasizes reality of the events[10:56]
• He notes these events actually happened; they were not just legends of corpse walking

Skeptical perspective on magic and reanimation

Challenge to literal belief in magical reanimation[11:12]
• Josh addresses listeners who don't believe in magic or Taoist magic, or in a black cat's static electricity reanimating a corpse
Humorous aside about what cats would actually do[11:26]
• Chuck jokes that a cat would be more likely to eat the corpse's nose, something he says you would probably need to watch out for

Rational explanation: how corpse walking likely worked

Not all practitioners necessarily full Taoist priests

Suggestion that some may have just been performing a job[11:51]
• Josh says Hung even suggested that not all participants were necessarily Taoist priests and some might have just been doing the job while claiming the title

Mechanics of solo corpse walking with one body

Carrying the corpse on the priest's back[11:55]
• Josh explains that in solo corpse walking, a priest would carry a corpse on their back
Use of vertical bamboo pole and shared robe[12:02]
• A bamboo pole was stuck up the back of the corpse to hold them upright, and a big black robe was draped over both priest and corpse
• Chuck compares this to the old gag where someone sits on another person's shoulders under a long trench coat to appear as one tall person
Reason corpses appeared unusually tall[12:20]
• Josh notes this is why the corpses in solo corpse walking processions always seemed very tall: they were on the back of a hidden priest
Clarification that corpses were tied, not impaled[12:30]
• He clarifies that the dead person was not impaled on the bamboo pole; they were tied to it
How the hidden priest navigated[12:40]
• The priest beneath the robe could see the lantern enough to be led and relied on the front priest's vocal cues about obstacles
Switching roles among priests over the journey[11:51]
• Josh notes that priests would switch off night to night regarding who carried the corpse and who led the procession

Mechanics of corpse herding using horizontal poles

Use of horizontal bamboo poles under corpses' arms[12:55]
• Josh explains that corpse herding used bamboo poles placed horizontally under the arms of the corpses, with two poles per body
Priests carrying pole ends and generating movement[14:07]
• The ends of the poles were carried on the shoulders of priests in front and back, and their walking motion translated through the poles
• This motion caused the corpses to appear to bounce, with their feet occasionally touching the ground, creating the illusion of walking
Visual similarity to the halftime dummy-dancer[13:26]
• Josh says the corpses would look like they were walking in line behind the Taoist priests, somewhat reminiscent of the performance Chuck described

Lighthearted close to the episode

Joking about difficulty of building the dummy-dancer rig

Chuck muses about acquiring or making such a system[13:18]
• He imagines buying or making a similar rod-and-dummy outfit, joking that a professional might warn him it's actually hard to build

Halloween costume ideas and future plans

Suggestion of using the dummy system as a Halloween costume[13:33]
• Chuck says the halftime-style setup would make a fun Halloween costume but he already has an idea for this year
Chuck's chosen costume: Baby Billy from The Righteous Gemstones[13:46]
• He reveals he plans to dress as Baby Billy, Walton Goggins' character from The Righteous Gemstones

Final explanation of bamboo setup for corpse herding

Clarifying two-pole suspension system per corpse[14:03]
• Josh reiterates that each corpse had two bamboo poles, one under each arm, effectively hanging them by the arms
Summary of the illusion of walking corpses[14:24]
• He describes how priests carrying the pole ends on their shoulders made the corpses bounce and appear to walk behind them

Closing remark and sign-off

Josh's concluding statement[14:34]
• Josh declares that nothing could top this discussion and says "short stuff is out," signaling the end of the episode

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Cultural beliefs about death and the afterlife deeply shape the rituals people invent, influencing everything from where bodies must rest to how communities respond when those rules are challenged.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What beliefs about death and burial did you grow up with, and how have they shaped your sense of what is "proper" or respectful?
  • • How might your current decisions about end-of-life planning be influenced by inherited cultural norms rather than your own considered preferences?
  • • What is one conversation you could initiate with family or friends this month to clarify how their beliefs about death align or differ from your own?
2

People often embed practical solutions inside supernatural or symbolic frameworks, using stories of magic or spirits to justify and coordinate very real logistical challenges.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your life or work do you see "magical" or symbolic explanations being used to cover up or simplify complex practical realities?
  • • How could recognizing the practical function behind a tradition or story help you redesign a more efficient or honest version of it?
  • • What is one recurring problem you face where you could look past the surface explanation and map out the underlying logistics instead?
3

Firsthand stories and family accounts preserve details of past practices that might otherwise be dismissed as legend, giving nuance to how we understand history and culture.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What family or community stories have you heard that might document a practice or era most people around you no longer remember?
  • • How might recording or writing down these stories change the way future generations in your family understand their history?
  • • What is one story from an older relative that you could seek out, document, or revisit in the next week to capture more of its context and meaning?
4

Compassionate, sustained care-like nursing a sick animal back to health-can transform an uncertain, risky commitment into a deeply valued relationship.

Reflection Questions:

  • • When have you taken on a responsibility that initially felt overwhelming but became meaningful as you invested more care and attention?
  • • How might committing to care for something (or someone) vulnerable right now change your sense of purpose or daily routine?
  • • What is one small act of care you could take on this week, even if you're not yet sure how it will fit into your long-term plans?
5

Maintaining a healthy skepticism toward supernatural claims while still respecting the cultural context helps you seek grounded explanations without dismissing the human meaning behind traditions.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In what areas of your life do you tend to accept extraordinary explanations without probing for ordinary, testable ones?
  • • How could you practice asking "what else could explain this?" in a way that remains respectful of others' beliefs while sharpening your own critical thinking?
  • • What is one belief or story you've taken for granted that you could research more deeply this week to understand both its symbolism and its practical roots?

Episode Summary - Notes by Harper

Short Stuff: China's Corpse Walkers
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