In the golden age of the Tang Dynasty, the city of Chang'an—now known as Xi'an—was the magnificent center of the world. It was a place where the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood and the sounds of a thousand ringing bells from the temples. Under the rule of Emperor Taizong, the empire flourished, but even the mightiest sovereign was not immune to the shadows of the spirit world. This legend begins not in the palace, but in the rugged mountains of Zhongnan, where a man named Zhong Kui spent his days in rigorous study. Zhong Kui was a man of extraordinary intellect, possessing a mind that could unravel the most complex philosophies and a heart that beat with unwavering loyalty to the throne. However, nature had given him a face that was as fierce and unconventional as his mind was bright. He had a sprawling, bushy beard, eyes that seemed to burn like coals, and a countenance that many found terrifying to behold.
Accompanied by his loyal friend Du Ping, Zhong Kui traveled to the capital to participate in the prestigious Imperial Examinations, the gateway to serving the Emperor. He sat in the examination halls for days, his brush flying across the paper as he composed essays on governance and morality that were unparalleled in their brilliance. When the results were announced, Zhong Kui was indeed placed at the very top of the list, earning the title of Zhuangyuan, or the First Scholar. However, the tradition of the time required the top candidates to be presented to the Emperor for a final blessing. When Zhong Kui stepped into the light of the imperial court, the officials were taken aback by his appearance. A high-ranking counselor, fearful that such a 'monstrous' face would bring bad luck to the court, whispered into the Emperor's ear, suggesting that a man of such ugliness could never represent the dignity of the Tang. Influenced by these superficial judgments, the honors were stripped from him.
Consumed by a sense of profound injustice and shame, Zhong Kui’s spirit broke. In a final, desperate act of protest against a world that valued skin over soul, he threw himself against the palace gates, ending his mortal life. The Emperor, realizing the tragedy too late, was moved by the scholar's devotion and ordered that he be buried with the honors of a high official, wrapped in a magnificent green robe. Yet, the story of Zhong Kui did not end at the grave. Because of his righteous character and the strength of his will, he was not simply passed into the cycle of reincarnation. Instead, he descended into the Underworld where the King of Hell recognized his potential. He was granted the authority to hunt, capture, and command the unruly spirits that plagued the mortal realm, becoming a guardian of the balance between the living and the dead.
Years passed, and Emperor Taizong found himself besieged by a mysterious malady. His nights were plagued by a persistent fever that no imperial physician could break. During one particularly restless evening, as the moon hung low over the palace gardens, the Emperor drifted into a shallow sleep. In his dream, he saw a small, spindly ghost—known as the 'Empty Thief' or Xuhao—darting through the shadows of his bedchamber. This mischievous spirit had stolen the Emperor's favorite jade flute and the perfume sachet of his beloved consort. The Emperor tried to call for his guards, but his voice was trapped in his throat. The little ghost danced mockingly around the room, growing bolder with every second, feeding on the Emperor's fear and exhaustion.
Suddenly, the air in the dream turned cold, and the heavy silk curtains of the bedchamber parted. A towering figure emerged, draped in the very green official robe the Emperor had gifted to the deceased scholar years before. It was Zhong Kui. His eyes flashed with a celestial light, and his beard bristled with divine energy. With a roar that shook the very foundations of the Emperor's dream-palace, Zhong Kui lunged at the thief. The small ghost shrieked and tried to vanish into the rafters, but Zhong Kui was faster. He snatched the spirit out of the air with a massive hand and, in a display of terrifying power, plucked out the ghost's eyes before devouring the entity whole. The Emperor watched in a mixture of awe and terror as the scholar-turned-exorcist knelt before him. Zhong Kui explained his identity, reminding the sovereign of the mercy shown during his burial and vowing to protect the Tang Dynasty from all demonic influences for eternity.