Ghost Blows Out the Light

Gui Chui Deng (Ghost Blows Out the Light) (Chinese: 鬼吹灯; pinyin: Guǐ Chuīdēng), also referred to as Candle in the Tomb, is a fantasy novel series written by Zhang Muye [zh] (天下霸唱) about a team of grave robbers seeking hidden treasure, with the first book published online in March 2006.^[1] It quickly became the bestselling online novel in China with an estimated readership of six million,^[2] and when published in print form in October the same year,^[3][4] went on to sell over 500,000 copies,^[1] although the book had to be rewritten to remove references to the supernatural before it could be released.^[5]

Set in the 1980s, the series follows former soldier Hu Bayi and his partner as they raid tombs in search of valuables.^[3] The two team up with an American archaeologist after they fall victim to a curse, and to release themselves from it they must seek clues found among ancient mythical sites across China.^[3]

The title is derived from an old Chinese saying, credited by the author to genuine grave robbers: "A human lights the candle and the ghosts blow it out."^[3][4] According to Muye, grave robbers would place a candle in the south-east corner of a tomb after entering, in an attempt to make contact with the dead. If the candle was extinguished it was a sign that the spirits within opposed the intrusion, and the robbers would be obliged to depart, leaving everything intact and undisturbed.^[3][4]