Kuei

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Kuei (Chin., ‘spirit’). Component of human being in Taoism and Chinese thought, associated with p'o and thus with yin, or the dark and physical side. In later systematization, kuei are the spirits of those who have been killed out of time (e.g. in war, murder, accident), or who have been wrongly executed or improperly buried, or for whom the proper remembrances (tzu) have not been observed. The li-kuei return in vengeance, and must therefore be placated. For further details, see SHEN.