Coping With Hanged Ghosts: Rationalizing the Prevention of Suicide by Hanging in Early Modern China

In Chinese culture, there has been a longstanding belief that if an individual commits suicide by hanging in a specific location, similar incidents will recur in that same place. This is because the process of reincarnation is contingent upon the resolution of any residual grievance, without which the spirit of the deceased person would keep inciting others to die by the same means. As hanged ghosts (Ch. diaosi gui) are seen as the essential cause of suicide, exorcism rituals are called for to address them and break the unfortunate loop. This article examines the evolution of the concept of hanged ghost in Chinese society, revealing that early modern philosophers, physicians, and forensic practitioners sought to demystify this phenomenon in order to alleviate social fears towards suicidal hanging. The article argues that initiatives aimed at medicalization and destigmatization of suicide were already in progress during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.