I've read that in chinese culture, there was a prevalent belief in the past that everything had spirits, those who were living were spirits inhabiting bodies and those who did not have bodies instead inhabited the land and natural phenomena around it.
As spirits grow, the domain of which they manage gives character to their being and powers. For example, in a heavily forested region, a fox may be the smartest and most dominant of the area, giving rise to a fox spirit. If a forested region is rather treacherous to animals but welcome plants, a bush or tree spirit may form. If a particular area is particularly lush, many spirits may form and coexist.
If anything I wish for this kind of spirit to exist. It provides a odd sort of comfort knowing that if one works with the land, and by proxy, the spirits that rule over that area, the land will work with you back and even ward off evil that one isn't equipped to deal with.
Disclaimer: my interpretation is likely flawed. But if it were true, then I'd be overjoyed to know that these spirits exist.