The Half Maquillage Woman (半面妆女, Bànmiàn Zhuāng Nǚ) is a female monster formed by the jealousy of older women towards young girls.[1]
Description[]
Some old women couldn't deal with the process of aging and thus consumed the blood and flesh of young girls in order to bring back their own youth. They enjoy acting like a young woman and speaking in high-pitched voices.[1]
However, consuming young girls would only let the bottom half of their faces become young again. They could not hide their old age completely and the upper half of their face and their eyes would remain old, as the eyes are said to be the window to the soul. The contrast would become more and more intense over time and to hide this, they cover the top half of their faces.[1]
They are said to be stubborn creatures and refuse to change their ways, but they're still weak creatures nonetheless.[1]
History[]
The only encounter Xie Lian had with a Half Maquillage Woman occurred as he was at Puqi Shrine and still searching for the Brocade Immortal. He heard a young woman going around outside to offer an exchange of someone's old robes for her new robe as she didn't take a liking in it. Xie Lian immediately realized this was the creature who stole the Brocade Immortal.[2]
The young woman finally arrives at Puqi Shrine and Xie Lian calls out to her from inside that he wants to exchange for her robe. After Lang Ying opens the door for her, Xie Lian gives her the new robes he had bought for Lang Ying, and they complete the exchange. As she tries to leave, Ruoye ambushes her, and she falls to the ground, revealing the top half of her face.[2]
Xie Lian recognizes her as a Half Maquillage Woman and proceeds to interrogate her about where she got the Brocade Immortal from. She confirms she picked it up in Ghost City, but doesn't know from whom directly. Xie Lian then seals the Half Maquillage Woman away in a clay jar.[1]
Quan Yizhen confirms the woman's robe is a fake shortly after.[1]