From Introduction: In the remote mountain forests of Zhong Hua, the Middle Kingdom, live arboreal communities of these monkey-like creatures. They are generally called mountain spirits (shan xiao) or monkey-fairies (hou jing) in the common language of that land. The average shan xiao has only one arm, placed in the center of its chest; one eye, located at the back of its head; and no natural teeth of its own. Otherwise is built like a typical monkey, with two legs, a mouth, a nose, a tail, and brownish-gray fur. Shan xiao shamans have three eyes at the back of their heads, but are in all other respects identical to other monkey-fairies. All shan xiao have necks like owls, allowing them to rotate their heads almost all the way around.