Otherworldly Encounters Lessons Learned from the Ghost Festival

It was the Ghost festival, a time when spirits roam the earth and the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest. Little did I know that a simple act of picking up a Hell money would lead to a terrifying encounter with the otherworldly.

On that fateful day, I stumbled upon a Funeral supplies store in the alleyway close to my family’s home. Intrigued by the eerie atmosphere, I picked up a Hell money, which resembled a one hundred yuan RMB note. Little did I know that this seemingly harmless act would lead to a series of strange events.

That same night, I was plagued by a vivid and terrifying dream. Several ugly figures appeared, shouting angry curses at me. I could not understand what they were saying, but their wrath was palpable. Overwhelmed by fear, I ran away, crying. When I woke up the next morning, my hands were itching uncontrollably, and I couldn’t stop scratching them.

Later that day, as I made my way home from school, I noticed a woman walking behind me. Assuming that she was a resident of the same apartment building as my family, I decided to wait for her to enter the building with me. But when I turned around again, she was nowhere to be seen. I was puzzled by her sudden disappearance.

As I entered our old apartment building, I realized that I had inadvertently brought the Hell money home with me. When my father saw it, he scolded me and told me that I should never have picked it up. He called my grandfather, who suggested that we return to the place where I had found the Hell money.

Upon arriving there, my father made me kneel and apologize for my actions. He then bought a basin and burned some Hell money, letting me cross over it. I didn’t understand the significance of these actions, but to my surprise, the itching in my hands disappeared the very next day.

From that day on, I made a promise to myself to never take things for granted and to always respect the boundaries between the living and the dead. It was a lesson I would never forget, and one that would shape the course of my life forever

The second

It was the winter of 2018, and the Chinese New Year was just around the corner. Like every year, my family and I went to my grandfather’s house to prepare for the traditional burning of Hell money for our deceased relatives. As we made our way to the crossroads, my anxiety started to build up. The alleyways seemed darker than usual, and the cold air seemed to be getting colder.

When we finally arrived, my grandma asked me to place some offerings of food for the wandering ghosts. She warned me that if we didn’t offer them food, they would come and rob the Hell money we were about to burn, and our ancestors wouldn’t receive them. As I placed the offerings on the ground, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was watching me.

Suddenly, I saw some shadowy figures lurking behind me through the reflection of the streetlights. Fear crept up my spine, and I turned around to face the figures, but they had vanished into thin air. I tried to calm myself down by thinking it was just my imagination, but the feeling of unease lingered.

Grandma tried to reassure me that it was nothing to be afraid of and that the spirits were just passing by. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was not right. As we started burning the Hell money, the flames grew higher and higher, and suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew out the fire. In that moment, I felt a cold breeze that seemed to penetrate my bones.

After that, my grandpa explained that it was important to show respect to the dead by burning the Hell money. He then gave me an amulet to protect myself from evil spirits, and we went back home safely.

Ever since that night, I have been more cautious and respectful towards the spirits. I never forgot the lesson I learned that night – to always be careful of the things unseen.