Ghost in the Umbrella 2

The following 3 nights, my aunt felt 'someone' was lying on top of her in the middle of the night. At first she thought it was my uncle, but he was too sick to feel horny. And during those times, she couldn't move nor cry for help. And the room was exceptionally cold during those nights on a warm July.

When my uncle didn't get better after seeing three doctors, my grandma felt something was wrong and a neighbour advised her to seek help from a temple nearby. She approached the abbot and he came to visit my uncle.

After investigating, the abbot brought grandma back to the temple and told her she had something dirty (an evil spirit) lurking in the house. My uncle had brought home from the cemetery a wandering ghost (孤魂野鬼) which hid in the umbrella. And it was a lecherous ghost (色鬼 hamsup guai)! It made my uncle sick so it could have his wife. -_-'"

When watching Chinese movies, we were told that ghosts are afraid of light. They usually hide in dark places. And because many Chinese families are Buddhists and have deities in their homes, or charms on the main doors, the ghosts have to have someone bring them into the house. What better way than to hide in umbrellas!

All things used at funerals should be discarded after the rituals are over. My uncle opened his umbrella at the cemetery, offering the spirit a great hiding place. The umbrella was brought into the house and left open to dry, thus releasing the spirit into the house.

The abbot picked a day to exorcise the house. My uncle recovered days after. The umbrella was brought to the temple and burnt.

In my memory, my uncle was really sick one time and we had an exorcism done. I don't know how true the spirit story is but I believe in the supernatural. There are some things that even Science has no explanation.

One thing has been observed in our clan all these years. And all my students know that : Mrs Tan does not allow anyone to open an umbrella inside her house.