In ancient China, the belief was that as the common red fox grew older, it would get supernatural powers. It’s colour would change and its tails would multiply. Therefore, with the passage of time, an older fox would turn white and grow up to nine tails. A white fox with nine tails would eventually become divine. But, in its journey from an ordinary, red, field fox to the divine, white, nine-tailed fox, it became a mysterious, shape-shifting creature, male or female, benevolent or malevolent. Such creatures came to be associated with many folklores full of mischief, seduction, trickery and even violence. The stories spread as far as Japan and Korea.

The oldest Chinese stories show the nine-tailed, white fox as a benevolent being, associated with the goddess of the West. However, in later stories of Chinese mythology, the fox spirit becomes a darker, malevolent force. The magical male fox would seduce young women with gifts that it would steal, thus destroying their morals. The magical female fox would drive emperors mad, force them to take foolish decisions, causing an uprising in their kingdom and their downfall.