Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Chinese Ghost Story (廣昌隆故事)


 
 
If you still remember the posting regarding the old Chinese forbids people from opening up umbrella inside a house because Chinese believe that there is a guardian spirit (土地) to protect each household from wandering spirits. Just to refresh your memory:

 


 

I was told that there are two types of stories in the past that Hong Kong script writes will not write:

 

·         The fox spirits

·         The story of Guangchanglong

 

Now let us turn our attention to a pretty sensational story of “Havocking Guangchanglong” (大鬧廣昌隆). This is a story of vengeful ghost seeking revenge. The story happened in late Ching Dynasty, many people who have stayed in Guangzhou have heard this story one time or another.

 

It is said that the vengeful ghost in the story was once a rich prostitute (Ms P), because she has got tired of her life as a prostitute; Ms P intentionally seeking a reliable partner so that she can lead a normal and happy life.

 

As what Ms P has hoped for, she finally found a “soul mate” amongst her customers. So she hastily got engaged with her ideal mate. The Chinese proverb has it that “you can’t know a person by his/her appearance”; Ms P’s soul mate (Mr. A) only aiming for her money. He has no intention to marry the prostitute at all.

 

Story has it that one day; the couple checked into a hotel and Mr. A murdered Ms P and buried her body under the bed in secrecy. No one has found out this plot and Mr. A took all the money and open up a sundry shop called “Guangchanglong”.

 

The murdered Ms P’s restless soul attempted to seek revenge but she was either blocked by the guardian of the bridge, or stopped by the guardian of the sundry shop. Finally the ghost’s chance for revenge came as one of her previous acquaintance (Mr. C) lodged in the same room where the prostitute was murdered.

 

One night, Ms P’s ghost materialized in front of Mr. C and seeks his help. Even though Mr. C was afraid, but since he noticed that the ghost meant no harm; Mr. C has agreed to help the ghost of Ms P to seek revenge.

 

The favor asked by the ghost was quite simple; Mr. C was just to bring an umbrella into the “Guangchanglong” shop so that the ghost can attach herself in the umbrella. Sure enough, the ghost was successful in avoiding the blockage of the bridge and shop guardian and entered into “Guangchanglong” to seek her revenge; i.e. killing Mr. A.

 

The key to the whole story is the umbrella. Has it not for the umbrella that the ghost of Ms P passed through the blockage of shop guardian spirit and hence entering into the shop to seek her revenge. Hence, the elders always earnestly caution the young not to put umbrella at the door, so as not to inadvertently let ghosts into the house unnecessary.

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