The
九尾狐 first appears in 《
山海经》 (Classic of Mountains and Seas) as an auspicious creature whose appearance signaled prosperity. Later folklore inverted that — by Ming/Qing
小说 (novels) the nine-tailed fox became a shape-shifting seductress, most famously
妲己 (Daji) in 《
封神演义》 (Investiture of the Gods), who possesses a queen and brings down the Shang dynasty. The creature also crossed into Japanese folklore as the kitsune. Modern xianxia and webnovel use draws on both the auspicious and the seductive sides.
