Editing Ghost (section)

===East and Central Asia===
{{further|Preta}}

====China====
{{Main article|Ghosts in Chinese culture}}
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[[File:ZhongKui-by-GongKai.jpg|thumb|left|An image of [[Zhong Kui]], the vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings, painted sometime before 1304 AD by [[Gong Kai]]]]

There are many references to ghosts in Chinese culture. Even Confucius said, "Respect ghosts and gods, but keep away from them."<ref name=mincul>{{cite web
 |url = http://www1.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2004-03/17/content_46337.htm
 |title = Chinese Ghost Culture
 |publisher = Ministry of Culture, P.R.China
 |access-date = 2010-07-07
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100711183047/http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2004-03/17/content_46337.htm
 |archive-date = 2010-07-11
}}</ref>

The ghosts take many forms, depending on how the person died, and are often harmful. Many Chinese ghost beliefs have been accepted by neighboring cultures, notably Japan and southeast Asia. Ghost beliefs are closely associated with traditional Chinese religion based on ancestor worship, many of which were incorporated in [[Taoism]]. Later beliefs were influenced by [[Buddhism]], and in turn influenced and created uniquely Chinese Buddhist beliefs.

Many Chinese today believe it possible to contact the spirits of their ancestors through a medium, and that ancestors can help descendants if properly respected and rewarded. The annual [[ghost festival]] is celebrated by Chinese around the world. On this day, ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the [[underworld|lower realm]]. Ghosts are described in classical Chinese texts as well as modern literature and films.

An article in the [[China Post]] stated that nearly 87 percent of Chinese office workers believe in ghosts, and some 52 percent of workers will wear hand art, necklaces, crosses, or even place a crystal ball on their desks to keep ghosts at bay, according to the poll.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} The prevalence of belief is such that the [[Chinese Communist Party|ruling party]] has actively sought to discourage citizens.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Esler |first=Joshua |date=2016 |title=Chinese Ghosts and Tibetan Buddhism: Negotiating between Mythological and "Rational" Narratives |journal=Modern China |volume=42 |issue=5 |pages=505–534 |doi=10.1177/0097700415604425 |jstor=24772270 |issn=0097-7004}}</ref>

====Japan====
[[File:Kuniyoshi The Ghosts.jpg|thumb|320px|[[Utagawa Kuniyoshi]], ''The Ghosts'', {{Circa|1850}}]]
{{Main article|Yūrei|Onryō|Japanese ghost story}}<!--

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{{Nihongo||[[wikt:幽霊|幽霊]]|'''Yūrei'''}} are figures in [[Japanese folklore]], analogous to Western legends of ghosts. The name consists of two [[kanji]], [[wikt:幽|幽]] (''yū''), meaning "faint" or "dim", and [[wikt:霊|霊]] (''rei''), meaning "soul" or "spirit". Alternative names include {{Nihongo|2=亡霊|3=bōrei}} meaning ruined or departed spirit, {{Nihongo|2=死霊|3=shiryō}} meaning dead spirit, or the more encompassing {{Nihongo|2=妖怪|3=[[yōkai]]}} or {{Nihongo|2=お化け|3=[[obake]]}}.

Like their [[Chinese folklore|Chinese]] and Western counterparts, they are thought to be [[soul (spirit)|spirits]] kept from a peaceful [[afterlife]].