The fox spirit is known as the húli jīng (fox spirit) in China, the kitsune (fox) in Japan, and the kumiho (nine-tailed fox) in Korea. According to the folklore, they possess magic powers and are mischievous creatures that can disguise themselves as beautiful women. In East Asian folklore, foxes are depicted as a familiar spirit (supernatural entities that assist witches or cunning folk in their practice of magic).
This term originates from Chinese mythology and got transmitted as a popular motif to Korean and Japanese culture. 9-tailed kitsune (fox) is basically a fox spirit.
