Novels like The Grave-Nailing Craftsman
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Grave-Nailing Craftsman, best match first.
- 1 The Yin-Yang Paper Effigy Maker 阴阳扎纸匠 My grandfather had been a paper effigy maker his whole life. His sudden death turned my whole worldview upside down. After he passed away, four paper figures suddenly appeared in the main hall... 260Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 Yin-Yang Paper Effigies 阴阳扎纸人 Searching for immortal arts?! On Mount Kunlun, Jiang Taigong obtained thirty-six minor immortal arts, which helped the Zhou overthrow the Shang and establish a dynasty that lasted eight hundred years. Later, those thirty-six minor immortal arts were lost among the people, giving rise to countless famed scholars and generals. Among them, the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art was the most revered. At his father's behest, Zhu Yiba set out to find the Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Art, only to become enta 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 Chronicles of the Yin Trade: I'm an Embalmer at a Funeral Home 阴行录：我在殡仪馆当入殓师 Shen Xun is an embalmer with Yin-Yang Eyes. By day, he performs autopsies; by night, he guides the dead to rest. Only when he has “fixed” a corpse can its aggrieved spirit finally close its eyes. 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 Strange Tales of Corpse Driving in Western Hunan 湘西赶尸奇闻 On a rainy night deep in the mountains, a master and his apprentice travel with a corpse. When they reach the Miao frontier, the body suddenly comes back to life and flees. They track it to Yinshen Village, only to learn that everything was part of a deadly revenge plot laid by a Miao priest. To protect his apprentice and escape with the corpse, the master destroys his own cultivation and dies in the wilderness. All he leaves behind is Li Caibei, a novice now alone, carrying a dead body on his —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 Livestream: The Paper Figure I Made Moved 直播：我扎的纸人动了 Yang Zhe transmigrates into a dilapidated courtyard and obtains the Demon-Slaying System. He figures that rather than risk his life completing the System’s missions, he might as well use its abilities to make money. And so, a haunted house with real ghosts and monsters opens its doors... —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 The Xiangxi Corpse Driver: A Record of Strange Cases in Xiangxi 湘西赶尸人之湘西诡案录 Deep in the mountains of western Hunan, on nights when the corpse-driving bells ring, the living must hold their breath, and the dead open their eyes. Lin Xiaoqi, the last corpse-driving practitioner in western Hunan, has been able to see the ghostly lights along the Yellow Springs Road since childhood. She burned paper money and scattered cinnabar, thinking she would spend the rest of her life running a funeral shop. Then a string of “grinning murder cases” struck the county town: a taxi driver —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 The Paper Effigy Maker: My Paper Dolls Are Powerhouses 扎纸匠：我的纸人是大佬 “My name is Hong Chen. I’m a paper effigy maker. I never believed in anything supernatural, but last year, a young man from the countryside named Zhang Dan ordered a white paper effigy from me. I never imagined that it would be the beginning of a nightmare…” 10Reads—Score—Shelves
- 8 The Taboos of Paper Effigies 扎纸禁忌 My grandfather's family were paper effigy makers. When someone died, people would have them make paper houses, cars, oxen, horses, sedan chairs, and all sorts of things. In short, it was a trade tied to funerals. But one summer when I was a child, something strange happened at my grandfather's house. I saw things I shouldn't have seen, and, worse still, I saw the eerie girl who would haunt me for the rest of my life. After that, I didn't dare go back to my grandfather's house. But I never imagin 55Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 Grandpa’s Bones Aren’t Even Cold, and Eight Women Have Come to Break Off Their Engagements 爷爷尸骨未寒，八女上门退婚 My name is Qin Shou. My grandfather was Qin the Half-Immortal, renowned across three regions, and spent his life doing good deeds. Before his body had even turned cold and while the incense in the mourning hall still burned, eight luxury cars arrived one after another. Eight stunning fiancées came to the door together, tore up their engagement contracts in front of everyone, and humiliated me without restraint. “You’re not good enough for us!” Every taunt cut to the bone. I inherited my grandfat 3.3kReads6.4Score192Shelves
- 10 Jiangshi World: From the Start, I’m a Paper Effigy Maker 僵尸世界：开局一个扎纸匠 On a deserted street in Changping City stood a shop that made paper offerings. The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The night should have been peaceful and quiet, but now the air was thick with the stench of corpses. Every shop on the street was closed, and the nearby residents had gone to bed early. Only that paper-offering shop still had a faint light shining inside. The wreaths at the entrance looked especially unnerving. Inside, row upon row of paper figures and burial clothes were 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 The Tiger Coffin That Keeps the Dead at Bay 虎棺镇尸 At the third quarter of the hour of the Rat, the bronze bell in the Zhu family ancestral hall suddenly rang out with a deafening clang. Guo Xiuxuan flicked his horsetail whisk, snuffing out the ever-burning lamp. He ran a fingertip along the edge of his peachwood sword, and a bright red bead of blood trickled down the pattern of the Big Dipper. The three incense sticks on the offering table snapped in unison. In the moonlight, their ashes coalesced into a twisted human face. “Master!” A young no 15Reads—Score—Shelves
- 12 The Yellow Immortal Worships the Moon: A Dreamt-Up Suicide Note 黄仙拜月：托梦遗书 [Traditional Supernatural Tales, Told by a Practitioner of the Netherworld Arts] A strange book left behind by my grandfather before he died. It records hundreds of uncanny spells: The Nether Soul Spirit-Communication Art, the Scissors Ghost-Sending Method, the Treasure Mirror Circle of Light Technique, the Broom Evil-Breaking Method… These spells may seem rather “homely.” But they brought me all kinds of terrifying experiences: An eerie spirit in a rented apartment, a lost child by the roadside 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 13 The Yin Eight Sects: I Subdue Ghosts and Gods in the Mortal World 阴八门：我在阳间镇鬼神 Li Piezizi, a scrap collector, raised me for ten years. To repay his kindness and save his life, I was ready to risk my own. But an unexpected incident pulled me into a bizarre and chilling supernatural affair. That was when I discovered that beyond the three hundred and sixty-five recognized trades, there are the Yin Eight Guilds, whose members specialize in dealing with the dead. My name is Li Wujin, and I had no choice but to step into this mire. I never imagined one uncanny event would fo 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 14 Paper Effigy Maker 扎纸人 My grandfather was a renowned paper effigy maker, a trade associated with the yin world. I never imagined there could be so many mysterious and unfathomable secrets hidden in it... 172Reads—Score—Shelves
- 15 The Mystic Paper Effigy Maker 奇门扎纸匠 Before I was even born, my grandfather had already begun quietly changing my fate, arranging an engagement to someone I had never met. He spared no effort to defy fate and pass down the paper effigy-making craft of the Four Yin Sect, hoping to avoid every calamity brought by the Five Bane and Three Deficiencies. When I was born, strange omens appeared in the sky. Something extraordinary was happening, and it seemed all the disasters were only just beginning. It looked as though everything had be 75Reads—Score—Shelves
- 16 Bone-Eating Mark, Northern Border King: A Netherworld Ordeal to Steal His Bride 噬骨纹北境王冥府劫妻 On my wedding day, my husband tore open my wedding dress in front of everyone, revealing the name tattooed over my heart. He said, “Take a good look. This is my dog.” Later, I jumped from the Cliff of the Forgotten River, and the King of the Underworld caught me in the bottomless abyss. He personally tattooed a red spider lily on me. He said, “From today on, you are my Queen of the Underworld.” The day the Northern Border King led a hundred thousand cavalry to the gates of the Underworld, I stoo 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 17 The Ghost Bride in the Coffin 棺中阴婚女鬼 [A blood-red coffin wrapped in scarlet silk traps a vengeful spirit; at the third watch, a ghostly wedding comes to claim its bride] During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, the failed scholar Wang Feng was passing a mass grave at night when two blood-red lacquered coffins burst from the earth. Inside lay an uncorrupted corpse dressed in bridal robes: his fiancée, who had died suddenly three years earlier. That night, three thousand strands of black hair surfaced in the ancient well at the vil 29Reads—Score—Shelves
- 18 Cultivating the Dao Amid the Strange: Starting with Corpse Driving 诡异修道：从赶尸开始 Ye Bai woke up one morning to find himself a corpse-driver. The dead should return to their roots. Those who die far from home must be escorted back to their hometown by a corpse-driver, or trouble may follow. In this chaotic dynasty, wars break out constantly, and there are plenty of corpses. However, Ye Bai discovers that he can earn rewards simply by driving corpses. Corpse-Controlling Arts, the Yellow Skin Drum, divine-mask Nuo opera, paper figures brought to life, the Rebirth Eye, Earthly F 34Reads—Score—Shelves
- 19 The Last Paper Effigy Maker 最后一个扎纸匠 Paper effigy crafting is a business of the yin world. Of the many trades, the seventh refers to making paper effigies. My master said our line of paper effigy makers suffers from the Five Banes and Three Deficiencies, and is steeped in bad luck. We can forget about marrying and having children. If a female ghost starts haunting us, that's practically a blessing from our ancestors! “So that's why you told me to marry a paper effigy?” I looked at the paper figure lying beside me and felt a chill r 132Reads—Score—Shelves
- 20 The Eccentric Eight Trades: Strange Tales of the Tomb Raiders 偏八门：盗门诡事 The Gold-Touching Talisman and the Mountains and Seas Map: reaching up to the Heavenly Court and down to the netherworld. One Luoyang shovel can bring unimaginable riches, while half a black donkey’s hoof and countless demons and monsters await. 179Reads—Score—Shelves
- 21 The Ghostly Papercutter 幽冥剪纸人 “You want to make a deal with me? But all I want is your shadow!” Song Xiaohan grinned. 26Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 22 The Terrifying Asylum 恐怖疯人院 [Traditional supernatural fiction] + [Traditional mystery] + [Twists] + [Deduction] A tribute to The Last Bus on Route 13. My girlfriend, Tian Wenjing, was an intern doctor at a psychiatric hospital, but she died mysteriously while working there. To investigate what happened, I somehow ended up at the same hospital. After experiencing all kinds of bizarre events, I discovered a tremendous conspiracy lurking behind it. And somehow, this conspiracy was closely connected to me... 726Reads8.0Score—Shelves
- 23 Wicked Fate Geomancer 邪命地理师 [Mystery + Supernatural + Comedy + Not a Power Fantasy + Urban + National Fate] The Dragon Veins are gone from the world. The nation's fate now depends entirely on geomancers! Also known as The Geomancer of an Ill-Fated Destiny A friendly warning: This story is almost too realistic… I'm a geomancer. Some people call us feng shui masters, but that's not the whole story. I don't know much, but in my line of work, it's all about cause and effect, and the tides of fortune! In your eyes, a nati 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 24 After Graduation, I Became a Corpse Retriever, and Zhou Jie Exposed Me 毕业后当捞尸人，被周姐曝光了 With graduation just around the corner, Lin Yu's girlfriend breaks up with him over the harsh realities of life. Just then, Lin Yu activates the Corpse Retriever System and prepares to start recovering bodies. Some expert: No boat can sail on the River of the Dead. Some authority: No one can identify the corpses in the River of the Dead. Some veteran corpse retriever: Anyone who retrieves corpses from the River of the Dead dies within a year. Yet Lin Yu rows his little boat along the River o 37Reads—Score—Shelves
- 25 The Heaven-Chosen Paper Effigy Maker 天命扎纸人 First comes fate, then fortune, then feng shui; fourth, accumulate virtue, and fifth, study. Sixth, choose a spouse; seventh, choose a career; eighth, make friends with people of influence; ninth, practice good health. Those who work with yin and yang make their living by reading fate, but they are doomed to three deficiencies and five afflictions, with life and death impossible to predict. With nothing but the craft of making paper effigies, they guide countless wandering souls and spirits to t 337Reads—Score—Shelves
- 26 Strange Tales of Houqiu 厚邱怪谈 This is a novel only those who have truly seen ghosts can understand. When water reaches the brim, it spills; when the moon is full, it wanes. If you learn too many of the world’s secrets, the only person you’ll hurt in the end is yourself. Some people are born able to see strange things, or to experience what ordinary people never do. Such people are either born with a defect or destined for a difficult life. So, would you be willing to have a pair of Yin-Yang Eyes? 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 27 The Secrets of a Corpse Stitcher and a Maoshan Taoist 缝尸匠和茅山道士不得不说的秘密 For thirty-seven days, red rain blanketed Shanghai. The survivors discovered a bizarre pattern: anyone caught in the rain developed black stitches across their back, as if they were corpses being sewn together one stitch at a time. Li Yang, a physics teacher, was the first stitch She sewed into this world. The last heir of the Maoshan lineage returned with three thousand lives and three thousand years of memories. He said, “She isn't a god. She's just a corpse stitcher.” Three thousand peachw 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 28 Driver of the Underworld 幽冥司机 Bus Route 206 is hiring a night-shift driver. Liu Hao eagerly applies, only to discover that the job not only pays well but also has short hours. It’s only after he signs the contract that he realizes there’s something wrong with the bus… Strange passengers and eerie lost property leave Liu Hao wondering if he’s driving the last bus of the underworld! 391Reads6.3Score—Shelves
- 29 The Yin-Yang Scissors 阴阳剪 A black dragon coils around me, skeletons block the door, fox spirits form ranks, and a white snake possesses me... All I have is a pair of scissors and a sheet of red paper. I cut down demons and sever the boundary between life and death... The Yin-Yang Scissors cut through the forces of yin and yang. I am the heir to the Yin-Yang Scissors. With them in my hands, one snip decides life or death. All the thrilling, eerie, and mysterious tales are found in The Yin-Yang Scissors... 126Reads8.0Score—Shelves
- 30 The Ghost Valley Corpse Scripture 鬼谷尸经 A corpse the police can't move, and a farewell letter no ordinary person can understand. These two seemingly unrelated things lead to a secret that has driven occult practitioners mad throughout history. The five magical arts of western Hunan, Daoist yin-yang divination, feng shui formations, and the long-lost art of reading the veins of mountains and rivers... Keep reading, and you may find it hard to believe, yet everything fits together perfectly. Remember: Heaven sees all, and fate is p 21Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 31 I Hosted a Show, and My Identity as a Corpse-Driving Taoist Was Exposed 主持节目，我赶尸人身份被曝光了 A campus interview show. Host Zhou Xiaoyi asked, “Have you ever seen a ghost?” “Heh. What era are we living in? We should believe in science. Of course I've never seen a ghost!” Ye An replied. Beep! Beep! Beep! The lie detector went off like crazy! “Then what did you do after you encountered a ghost?” “Obviously, I ran! It was a ghost. Wouldn't I have to be an idiot not to run?” Beep! Beep! Beep! The lie detector went off like crazy! From that day on, Ye An's identity as a corpse-drivin 31Reads5.9Score—Shelves
- 32 On the Night of the Hungry Ghost Festival, a Yin-Born Child 七月半，阴生胎 The day I was born, a monster that came running down from the mountain stole a baby. Strange things kept happening in the village. The villagers listened all night to my mother’s wretched cries and cursed me as an ill-omened child. They blocked the entrance to our home, saying they would burn me alive. My grandfather simply sat by the gate, and not one of them dared come closer. A baby’s piercing wail rang out, and I came into this world. You need some skills to make your way in life. My name is 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 I Graduated on a Whim, Secretly Became a Corpse Driver, and Got Livestreamed 任性毕业，偷摸做了赶尸匠还被人直播了 Lin Xu unexpectedly awakens the Corpse-Driving System. A terrible student, he decides to head to western Hunan and drive corpses. On the train, Lin Xu gets a call from his homeroom teacher: “Lin Xu, we're taking graduation photos today! Hurry over and make yourself a nice memory from your senior year!” Lin Xu: “Teacher, I'm on a train to western Hunan right now! I'll have to miss the graduation photos.” Homeroom teacher: “Western Hunan? What are you going there for?” Lin Xu: “To drive corpses, o 135Reads—Score—Shelves
- 34 The Child's Haunting 童诡 Mystery | Horror | Hidden Chen Shuyang was overjoyed to move in with his girlfriend, Bai Lu. But as they spent day after day together, he gradually discovered her many strange quirks, from bizarre tastes in food to abnormal behavior. Little by little, he uncovered the terrifying secret she was hiding. 569Reads8.0Score113Shelves
- 35 A Horror Mobile Game Bleeds into Reality 恐怖手游映照现实 “‘You’ll Die If You Don’t Play’? What a weird name for a mobile game. Does that mean I have to play it?” Li Cong tapped the game without thinking. The screen went black the next second. A few seconds later, five blood-red characters appeared on the screen... “‘You’ll Die Even If You Play!’” “Holy crap!” Li Cong couldn’t help wanting to swear. This game was genuinely terrifying! He hadn’t even started playing, and he’d already died twice! 15Reads6.6Score—Shelves
- 36 The Unorthodox Paper Effigy Maker 旁门扎纸匠 The Heavenly Demons invaded, the immortals died, the Buddhas fell, and the Heavenly Dao collapsed. The Divine Tune Sect, the Soul-Seizing Sect, the Red Handkerchief, the Orchid Sect... The eight heterodox lineages protect the human world. Paper Effigy Makers, Night Watchmen, Seven-Emotion Immortal Officials, Six-Desire Bodhisattvas... This is a legend of the unorthodox arts. 192Reads—Score—Shelves
- 37 The Doctor of the Underworld, Chosen by Fate 天命冥医 Birth, aging, illness, and death are laws of heaven and earth, binding all living beings in the six realms of reincarnation, even the souls of the dead. When people fall ill, they can go to a hospital for treatment. But what happens when a soul gets sick or injured? I specialize in healing souls. Once you set foot on the path of a netherworld physician, you can never treat the living again. That is what makes my profession so unusual: I rarely interact with the living. In the eyes of ordinary pe 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 Dumped from the Start and Left to Drive Corpses, Now I'm Invincible 开局被甩成为赶尸人，我无敌了 At a dinner where he was supposed to confess to the campus belle, Zhang Bufan, a college entrance exam failure, is pranked and teased by his classmates. By sheer chance, he obtains a god-tier Corpse-Driving System! Classmate: “Zhang Bufan, come sweep the toilets at my dad’s company. I’ll give you the friends-and-family rate of 1,000 yuan a month!” Zhang Bufan: “For 100 yuan, I’ll help your dad find his roots.” “When the dead travel, the living must keep their distance…” At midnight, bells ring t —Reads5.3Score—Shelves
- 39 My Little Dumpling's Livestream Exposes My Identity as a Corpse Driver 小呆呆直播，我赶尸人身份被曝光 After transmigrating to a parallel world, Zhang Wei inherits a yin-yang shop and settles into life as a laid-back shopkeeper. One night, he unexpectedly becomes a corpse driver. Viewers: The campus beauty is getting married. Want to come to the wedding? Zhang Wei: I’m an officially employed corpse driver for the Underworld. I’m happy to join the banquet, but count me out of the wedding. Viewers: What perks come with an official job? Zhang Wei: I stay at the five-star Delona Hotel, have Bai Wucha 31Reads6.6Score—Shelves
- 40 The Knife on Credit 赊刀人 As the times change, many ancient trades gradually disappear into the river of history. Behind every one of them lie countless untold stories and secrets. The Knife Peddlers are one such ancient and mysterious trade. Carrying all kinds of knives, they travel the streets and roam the land, offering knives on credit without taking payment! “I’ll leave you a knife on credit. I’ll come back for the money in three years!” Yet very few people ever live to see a Knife Peddler return to collect. Many th 14.6kReads8.9Score813Shelves
- 41 A Bowl of Meng Po's Soup 一碗孟婆汤 Among strange spirits and monsters, dangers abound. Break bones to uncover secrets and seek the path to immortality. Lin Zemin’s grandmother was a famous village doctor throughout the surrounding countryside. She could not only cure illnesses, but also read the signs. The medicines she used were all folk remedies. They might not have seemed orthodox, but they always worked. Lin Zemin was born late in his parents’ lives, and after his birth, his grandmother declared that he was destined to bear a 115Reads9.0Score—Shelves
- 42 After Dropping Out, I Became a Corpse Driver: Exposed on Ziqi's Livestream 辍学后当赶尸人：被子柒直播曝光 After dropping out of school, Yuan Shuai thought his life was over. He never expected to be hit by a god-tier corpse-driving System. After the college entrance exams, a classmate posted in the group chat: “Yuan Shuai, if you dropped out and don’t have a job, why not come work as a security guard at my company?” Yuan Shuai: “No thanks, I’m busy driving corpses. Since we’re classmates, I can give you a twenty percent discount if you need a corpse driven.” When the dead return home, passersby must 41Reads6.8Score—Shelves
- 43 The Yellow River Corpse Retriever 黄河捞尸人 There is always more to the Yellow River than you know! You’d be better off never asking about the forbidden legends of the Yellow River! The Yellow River’s ghost soldiers, the Fish-Bone Divine Temple, the Iron-Headed Dragon King, deadly venomous insects, ghost wedding processions... The strangest objects of the Yellow River, and the oldest, most mysterious profession: Yellow River corpse divers! Their families have guarded the ancient river route for generations. But what are they really protec 27Reads7.4Score—Shelves
- 44 Possessed by an Evil Spirit 撞邪 Grandpa spent his whole life doing good deeds. He never imagined that one night, he would ruin a young girl's life... 306Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 45 Yin-Yang Paper Effigy Maker 阴阳纸扎匠 The paper effigies my grandfather made could subdue spirits and drive away evil energy. He passed this craft down to me alone. Back in his day, my grandfather was a renowned master in the world of feng shui. I thought I could carry on his legend, but I was set up as soon as I struck out on my own. It turns out there’s another me in this world! (No System, no mindless protagonist, no stale tropes, no cultivation.) 422Reads6.9Score—Shelves
- 46 Horror Revival: I Got a Guan Yu Tattoo, and It Opened Its Eyes to Kill 恐怖复苏：我纹个关公能睁眼杀人 [Mystery]+ [Folk supernatural] In most people’s eyes, I’m an utterly ordinary tattoo artist. But I actually carry on a little-known tradition: Yin-Yang Embroidery. “Yin-Yang Embroidery stitches yin and yang, bringing wealth and status in life, and safety wherever you go.” It can drive away ghosts and evil, turn bad luck around, increase fortune, and keep people safe. Before my master died, he forbade me from using this craft to make money. But after disaster struck, I had no choice but to defy h 13Reads—Score—Shelves
- 47 Yellow Springs Medical Hall 黄泉医馆 On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, ghosts roam at night and the living must keep away. Yet on Linjiang Road, an unremarkable clinic stands with all four doors wide open, inviting every kind of visitor. Above the eaves hangs a gilded plaque bearing four large characters: “Yellow Springs Clinic.” 534Reads8.1Score100Shelves
- 48 The Ghost Banquet 鬼禁食 A glutton's feast: can it really eat anything at all? Open wide, and nothing is off-limits? When you're indulging in wild game, have you ever felt a hint of murderous intent behind you... 25Reads—Score—Shelves
- 49 The Eighteenth Floor Underground 地下十八楼 [Urban Mystery / Thriller / Puzzle-Solving / Supernatural / No System] Beneath an upscale residential complex lies a mysterious space known as “Underground Level Eighteen.” They say that anyone who goes in either dies or goes mad… Su Chi, a new resident, accidentally gets caught up in it. There are ancient coffin mazes, a blue underground river, savage subterranean creatures, and even mysterious wild men… Danger lurks at every turn, and the mysteries are hair-raising. It feels as if a pair of ey 40Reads—Score—Shelves
- 50 I Was a Paper Effigy Maker, Now I Rule the Underworld 扎纸匠的我，成了地府大佬 Xu Bannian transmigrates to Nanqing, a land ravaged by war and ruled by eerie gods, and becomes a paper effigy maker in the Soul-Calming Bureau. By crafting paper figures, he repairs the souls of the dead. In these chaotic times, Xu Bannian wants nothing more than to make paper figures in peace, listen to songs at the pleasure quarters, walk his dog, play with his birds, and freeload... Who would have thought he’d end up crafting the Black and White Impermanence, the Ten Kings of Hell, City God 45Reads6.3Score—Shelves
