Qing Ming
Amazing Stories
Qing
Ming (or commonly named Ghost Festival) is the time where the deceased or the
departed are given one month’s permission to visit our world.
Qing
Ming to Taoism and Buddhism followers is to revere or admire one’s departed families
and relatives that live in this world. It is also an opportunity to visit the
graveyards even sweep their tombstones as a mark of respect. The followers
bring food, drinks and joss sticks to pray to graveyards. They also offer paper
money, houses, suits, mobile phones and even a paper maid!
Prayers at Gravesite (courtesy www.mythicmaps.et)
However
Qing Ming or Ghost Festival as the name implies have its share of ghostly
stories, I will relate two spooky tales that happened during the festival.
1st
story
This
happened in a seafood restaurant in Port Klang during the Qing Ming month as
told by Steven Yap. Steven was told by his mother to be back early after work especially
during that month but he did not really believe in such stories.
He
and his office colleagues had a celebration one night when one of his workmates
received a healthy commission for a project. After work they went to a seafood
restaurant to celebrate with food and drinks.
Half
way during dinner, Steven had to go the restroom which was separately located
adjacent to the restaurant. The male toilet was dark and muddy and the lights
were not working well as they were flickering on and off. When he was done, he
went to the row of basins to wash his hand when the lights went off. He was
quickly drying his hands when he realised from the mirror that someone was in
the toilet.
A
clear distinct outline of a dark blurry figure of a man but only without the
bottom half – with no legs! Steven quickly turned around as the lights again turned
on but there was no body there. Breathing very fast he turned slowly to the
mirror to find the apparition is not there.
2nd
story
Lauren
Yee’s mother likes to spend her time at the casino in Genting Highlands. She
went without her friend (an ‘aunty’ – a manjong kaki) and she had both single
beds at Ria Apartment. She took a single bed for herself and left the bed
empty.
After
a heavy session of gambling at the casino, she went back to her room to sleep.
She suddenly woke up at about 3am and had an uneasy feeling that she was not
alone. She slowly turned to look at the empty bed only to see a woman with long
black hair dress in white (could not see her face as was facing downward)
sitting on the empty bed.
Startled,
Lauren’s mother screamed and rolled backwards from her bed and she fell to the
floor. Breathing hard and saying mantras, she forced herself to peer at the
empty bed – and there nothing there.
This story reminded of my aunt's eerie experience in Sunway Hotel, Penang. My aunt and uncle are from Melbourne and both are Christians. They do not subscibe to superstitions or the paranormal but since my aunt's experience in Penang, she is now a believer of the other realm. Both my aunt and uncle loved to stay at Sunway Hotel due to its strategic location, it was near the main town and shopping areas and the hawker stalls were just outside the hotel. On the second night of their stay, they went to bed around 11pm after visiting relatives and dinner. My uncle slept soundly and did not stir at all. My aunt was sleeping well at first, then she suddenly felt that something was amiss and opened her eyes. To her shock and horror, she saw a figure of a woman with very long hair at the foot of her bed, just staring at her. Fearful and not knowing what to do, my aunt quickly pulled up her blanket to cover her head and stayed awake the whole night quivering. The next day, she came to our house to tell my parents about it and they were brought to a church for blessings. They never stayed at Sunway Hotel again.
ReplyDeletehi Lynn, it must be quite scary for your aunty. It seems like Penang have more ghostly hauntings than some other places. Tq for your info.
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