The nine-tailed fox is a mythical creature that originated in Chinese mythology, where it is known as huli jing (fox spirit) or jiuweihu (nine-tailed fox). The concept later spread to Korea (as kumiho) and then to Japan (as kyuubi or kyuubi no kitsune).
In Japanese mythology, the kyuubi is stated to be the pinnacle of age and power for a kitsune, taking at least 800 years to attain (100 years per tail). Kyuubi are supposedly near‑godlike in power.
The Korean equivalent, kumiho, is traditionally depicted as more frequently malevolent and murderous than the Chinese or Japanese versions, and may not always have nine tails despite the name meaning "nine‑tailed fox".
The Chinese huli jing are complex spirits that can be benevolent or malicious, and they appear in classics such as the Shan Hai Jing. Unlike the Japanese kyuubi, they are not inherently tied to the age‑based tail‑growth system of kitsune.
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