Year of the Lotus Lexicon


Terms of the Kuei-jin


  • Age of Beauty: This is the Kuei-jin’s name for the Second Age of the Great Cycle, when the Middle Kingdom and Spirit Courts were still close together. This era predates most human civilization and may include the time of the Changing Breeds’ Impergium.
  • Age of Beautiful Sadness: This is the Kuei-jin’s term for the Fourth Age of the Great Cycle, heralded by the Wan Kuei’s forsaking of their Heavenly duties. Human history is mainly just getting started at the onset of this Age - at least records of that history. The Wan Kuei trace their vulnerability to sunlight to this age, from the defeat at the hands of the Shih (during the Chou Dynasty).
  • Age of Heaven: This is the Wan Kuei’s term for the First Age of the Great Cycle: time before time, when the heavens and earth were one.
  • Age of Darkness: The Fifth and current Age of the Great Cycle as the Kuei-jin call it, this era extends roughly from the first contact with the West to the present day.
  • Age of Legends: The Third Age of the Great Cycle is the mystical pre-history of the Middle Kingdom. This was a time when the Wan Kuei still walked as the Wan Xian, benevolent protectors of man, the hengeyokai fought mighty battles versus the Yama Kings, and all things knew their place. Evil was strong, but so were the heroes and many great tales come from these days.
  • Age of Sorrow: The coming Sixth Age, the nadir of the Great Cycle, according to the Wan Kuei. It is analogous to the Gehenna of the Western vampires, but most Kuei-jin view it as a necessary part of reality.
  • Akuma (ah-KOO-mah): Japanese for “devil”, this term refers particularly to Kuei-jin who turn to the service of the Yama Kings. Infernalists.
  • Ancestor: An term for an old and honored Kuei-jin, especially a vampiric ruler of a Court or region. It is also a common epithet for spirits of the departed, and many Asian cultures still revere ancestor spirits. In some cases, those spirits still carry on (as wraiths).
  • Arhat: A vampire who has completely mastered his Dharma.
  • Balance: Also called “Center”, in Wan Kuei philosophy this is the perfect midpoint between life and death.
  • Bamboo Princes: Rebellious young Kuei-jin opposing the old-guard Mandarins who stagnate vampiric society. Comparable to Western Anarchs.
  • Bishamon-myo (BEE-shah-mohn-mee-YOH): This is a major house, or Court, of Japanese vampires.
  • Black Chi: A Kuei-jin term for Yin Chi.
  • Bodhisattva: In the Kuei-jin sense, a vampire who has nearly attained dah, but chooses to forgo his transcendence in favor of helping other vampires progress.
  • Cathayan: A Western vampire’s unflattering and fairly racist term for the Kuei-jin.
  • Chih-mei (CHEE-MAY): A “feral” vampire who has not attained the enlightenment of any Dharmic path, or one who has completely forsaken the path to transcendence.
  • Ch’ing Shih (cheh-EENG SHEE): A vampire whose Yin aspect has overwhelmed it.
  • Clans of the Sun: Collective term for the various houses of Japanese Kuei-jin. Also called uji.
  • Crimson Fever: A vampiric disease that manifests in Kuei-jin whose Yang aspects become imbalanced.
  • Dah: “All-Awareness”, i.e., Golconda - Nirvana for the undead. The ultimate enlightened state that few ever achieve. This is also known as The Hundred Clouds, and sometimes referring to as the “peak of Mount Meru”.
  • Daimio (dah-ee-MEE-oh): A Japanese synonym for Ancestor.
  • Demon Emperor: In Kuei-jin myth, this is the ruler who will ascend to cosmic supremacy to usher in the Sixth Age of the Great Cycle. Most assume that one of the Yama Kings will become Demon Emperor, while others believe the wraith tyrant Qin Shihuang, ruler of the Jade Kingdom, will assume this office.
  • Den: A small satori, or flash of insight, in which things suddenly become clear. Such flashes indicate progress in Dharmic journeys. Reaching these points may take years or occur in an instance of clarity, but the world is never the same afterwards. Chi’n ta may also use this term or satori in place of the Western term, Epiphany.
  • Diao (dee-OW): Moments of blindness when a Kuei-jin loses track of her Way and wanders off into a sea of mortal illusions.
  • Dhampyrs: Half-breed offspring of Yang-imbalanced Kuei-jin, these long-lived but tainted persons bear their own celestial burdens, hidden in myths and history. They are also known as Shade Walkers or the Half-Damned.
  • Dharma: A Kuei-jin’s path to “Golconda”. The old form of the term, Di’hana, has been lost to many younger Wan Kuei. The old ones still remember it and prefer it to the modern corruption.
  • Ebon Dragon: Hun Dun, the first lord of the Dead, representative of Yin. Some vampires believe that the Ebon Dragon has been deposed and eaten by the Jade Emperor, Qin Shihuang while others believe the Jade Emperor is one of the Dragon’s avatars.
  • Firebird: A Wan Kuei whose details entail keeping things in motion, providing new mediums and ideas - a vampire of the South Direction.
  • Fire Nature: A berserk frenzy.
  • Fivefold Way: The five principles that the vampire Bodhisattva Xue taught to his followers, also called the Great Principle.
  • Gaki (GAH-kee): A loose term for Japanese vampires.
  • Genji-myo (GEHN-jee-mee-YOH): A major house of Japanese vampires.
  • Ghost-Dancer: A vampire whose duties specifically deal with the spirit world, namely a term for Kuei-jin of the West Direction.
  • Golden Courts: A collective term for the various societies of vampires dwelling in specific geographical locations largely encompassing Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Their existence is often tumultuous and chaotic, and are perceived as decadent and barbaric. Traditionally, though, female Kuei-jin enjoy much more respect in these regions.
  • Golden Lion Court: A small Court based in Singapore that craves independence from the surrounding chaotic Golden Courts.
  • Green Courts: A collective term for the groups of Kuei-jin inhabiting Korea and nearby areas of China. They’re renowned for their love of mystical jade and a non-committal stance in larger struggles.
  • Guanxi (goo-AHN-shee): The mystical binding force that keeps a Wu together.
  • Harmonic: A Kuei-jin of the Center Direction, one whose duties entail exploring the vampiric condition and soul.
  • Harvester: A vampire troubleshooter and agent provocateur among the mortal “herd”; a vampire of the East Direction. Also known as Farmer, sometimes derisively in regards to a vampire obsessed with his human charges.
  • Heike-myo (HEY-keh-mee-YOH): A clan of Japanese vampires who were once the greatest of houses, but now depend on the Bishamon for survival. They are still among the greatest of the Clans of the Sun, though.
  • Hima (HEE-mah): The “goblin lantern” form masters of Ghost-Flame Shintai may assume. Their superiors are known as hiken; these mandarin warriors are fearsome indeed.
  • Iga-myo (EE-gah-mee-YOH): A clan of gaki connected to the Bishamon.
  • Infinite Thunder Courts: The elitist Courts of eastern India, Burma, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Also known as the Bijali Courts.
  • Jina (JEE-nah): A vampire who has gained some status in Kuei-jin society and often holds courtier-type duties in their society. Comparable to Western vampires’ ancilla.
  • Kanbujian (kahn-BOO-jee-ahn): A Kuei-jin who takes his Second Breath in a Western city (usually a Chinatown or the like), and rarely gets the proper tutelage til later in his existence.
  • Ki (KEE): The Second Disciple of Xue.
  • Ki Chuan (KEE choo-AHN): A holy book written by Ki.
  • Koa (KOH-ah): Vampiric adolescence, each Kuei-jin is allotted a mortal’s life-time to indulge themselves in their new existence before assuming their duties under Heaven. Comparable to the Western term, “neonate” or “fledgling”.
  • Koga-myo (KOH-gah-mee-YOH): A house of Japanese vampires connected to the Bishamon.
  • Kyonshi (kee-OHN-shee): An unflattering term for a Kuei-jin who behaves like a child. Also called “Running Monkey”, it is comparable to the Western “whelp”. All Kin-jin are assumed to be Running Monkeys no matter how old they get, of course.
  • Magistrate: A Wan Kuei whose duties entail interpreting tradition, arbitrating disputes, passing and executing sentences, and is synonymous with Kuei-jin of the North Direction.
  • Mandarin: A Kuei-jin official with specific duties in a Court, serving some specific function of Kuei-jin society. Examples include the Minister of Ceremonies, Foreign Devil-Slaying General, First Interrogator, Mandator, and the Minister of Omens.
  • Oni (OH-nee): A Kuei-jin who makes excessive use of the Demon Shintai, also known as raksha in the Golden and Infinite Thunders Courts.
  • Palace: A communal meeting site for all the Kuei-jin in the region. Often but not always, the haven of the most powerful Court or Ancestor.
  • Penangallan (peh-nahn-GAHL-lahn): This is a name given to certain sects of matriarchal vampires in the Golden Courts region. Penangallan commonly revere the Scarlet Queen and make extensive use of Flesh Shintai.
  • Quincux: A sect of joined Courts in China. Not all Chinese Courts pay heed to the tradition-bound sect, but most do, including the five “auspicious” Courts: the Flame Court of Hong Kong, Flesh Court of Shanghai, Bone Court of Chongqing, Blood Court of Beijing, and Jade Court of Changan.
  • Scarlet Chi: Yang Chi as used by Kuei-jin.
  • Scarlet Queen: The primordial ancestress in Kuei-jin myth, comparable to the West’s Lilith. She is viewed as the representative of Yang, called Na Kua.
  • Scarlet Screen: A mortal or mortal institution used as an unwitting pawn for Kuei-jin activity. A tong in the vampire use of the term is a group of mortals willingly and (in most cases) knowingly serving a vampiric master.
  • Second Breath, The: The return from the spirit worlds and the torture of Yomi; the Wan Kuei rebirth.
  • Serpent-borne: Vampires who arrived to Japan from mainland Asia during the Fourth Age.
  • Shadow Nature: The feared soul-state of the Kuei-jin when the P’o dominates the body.
  • Shadow War: Ritualistic combat between Kuei-jin Courts or Wu.
  • Shikome (shee-KOH-meh): Female, Yin-aspected vampires in service to the Yama King, Emma-o.
  • Sotagawa no (soh-tah-GAH-wah-NOH): A small clan of heretical gaki heavily persecuted by the Bishamon.
  • Urn: A mortal who has the potential to become Kuei-jin or who actually does.
  • Wa Nature: The natural soul-state of a Wan Kuei, when she is not frenzied or in a P’o-possessed state.
  • Wave Nature: The fear frenzy soul-state of Wan Kuei; Rotschreck.
  • Wu: A tightly-bound family of vampires, not unlike a Sabbat pack. This is the core foundational basis of Wan Kuei society. The concept is also known as the Thousand Corpse Families, though there are no doubt many more than a thousand Wu in existence.
  • Xue (shoo-AY): The first and most famous vampiric Arhat, founder of the Fivefold Way. Depending on the tone in which his name is spoken, it can mean either “study” or “blood”.
  • Yulan-jin (yoo-LAHN-JEEN): A Wan Kuei whose dual-souls are not properly anchored to the physical world and body, and has to periodically “soul-jump” to a new corpse to remain in existence.
  • Zao-lot (dsah-OH LAHT): Saulot, the First Disciple of Xue, derided as an outcast who was thought to have been unable to accept the proper path to enlightenment and brought a corrupt version of the Wan Kuei ways to the Kin-jin.