Haunted Path and Dormitory A Mother and Son's Ghostly Encounters

Growing up in China, my family always had a fascination with the supernatural. We would listen to ghost stories and watch horror movies, but little did we know that we would have our own ghostly encounters.

My mother had a terrifying experience on her way home from my grandparents’ house. She was weak from giving birth to me and was walking home when she suddenly found herself trapped in a maze-like path for two hours. It was on the road that crossed the stone bridge called Daqiaowan, where people used to throw bodies under it due to poverty in the 1700s. The path leading to our house was filled with countless graves on both sides, making it even more eerie. My mother realized she was experiencing “Ghost Pounding the Wall,” a Chinese folk phenomenon where a ghost guides you into a maze-like situation. But she remembered that fierce expressions and shouting abuse could help fend off the ghost’s power. After shouting, she eventually broke free from the path and made it home.

As for myself, my mother had told me that I saw ghosts frequently when I was younger, but I couldn’t recall any of those experiences. However, there was one incident that happened when I was in the third year of high school that I could remember vividly. During that time, I was under a lot of pressure to study, often staying up late. One night, around 11 pm, I was sleeping in a dormitory with my bed placed to the left side of the door, and across from a window. Suddenly, I was awoken by a cold sensation running down my spine, and I felt someone breathing on my ear. It felt like a cold person lying behind me, and I could see that my other roommates were sleeping. I felt like there was a chain wrapping around me, and I couldn’t move or make any sounds when I tried to call out to my roommate. After what seemed like half an hour, I was finally able to move again.

These encounters with the supernatural left a deep impression on both my mother and me. We learned to be cautious and respectful of the spirits that surround us, especially in places with a rich history like China. Despite the fear they bring, they remind us of the mysteries that still exist in this world.