Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts - Chapter 1

Where does this story begin? Let’s start with the story my mother used to tell me when I was a kid.

It all started back in the 1990s, in our village, with the Wang family. The Wang family was one of the wealthier families in the village. They were once a landowning family, but during the Cultural Revolution, the Red Guards raided their home. However, the old master of the Wang family secretly buried some of their wealth, and with that money, the family managed to live a relatively prosperous life afterward.

The old master of the Wang family was in his seventies and had three sons. The eldest son was named Wang Jianguo, the second Wang Jianmin, and the third Wang Jiandang. This family suffered a lot of trouble because of those names. Even though the old master was a landlord, he was a good man who didn’t bully the common people. He should have only faced a raid during the Cultural Revolution, but he ended up being locked up for a few months solely because of his sons’ names.

When you put the last character of each son’s name together, it forms “Kuomintang” (KMT). Anyway, that’s beside the point—the real story centers around the old master’s third son.

To explain about the old master’s three sons, the eldest son was about fifty, had two daughters, and even had grandchildren. He was supposed to be enjoying his retirement. The second son, in his thirties, was a cultured and refined man. But the third son was different. He was twenty years old and didn’t like studying since he was young. He spent his days idling around, stealing chickens and messing around—not because they were poor, but just for fun.

Wang Jiandang especially enjoyed going to town to drink. He often stayed out drinking until late at night. But one day, after going out, he didn’t return home that night. His family was a bit puzzled but didn’t pay too much attention since he was an adult. However, when he still didn’t return on the second and third days, the family grew anxious, fearing he might have encountered robbers.

This was back in the 90s when rural areas were chaotic, and robberies were frequent. The family asked around and looked for him, but they found no leads.

On the fourth day, someone came to the Wang family, saying there was a tiger sighted on Xishan. They wondered if it could’ve taken Wang Jiandang.

Xishan was just a high hill with many trees. There was a small path leading from the town, and another major road that passed by Xishan. Hearing this, the Wang family quickly sent the second son to check things out.

Wang Jianmin agreed and rushed to Xishan, though it was already getting dark. Unexpectedly, he also didn’t return after three days. Now no one dared to go to Xishan.

At this point, villagers suggested to the Wang family that perhaps they’d encountered some monster, as tigers wouldn’t pick people off one by one.

Someone advised the Wang family to find a fortune teller in the neighbouring village, Li Village, who was said to be skilled. The Wang family quickly sent for this fortuneteller.

This fortuneteller was young, in his early twenties, and called himself Mr. Chen. After hearing the story, Mr. Chen said, “Three nights ago, it rained. I calculated the time, and as the saying goes, ‘A happy occasion in the living world, spirits avoid; a ghost bride in the underworld, rain at midnight.’ It seems your third son encountered a ghost bride and had his soul taken. The second son likely followed suit in search of him.”

“What should we do?” The old Wang patriarch was incredibly anxious, as he only had these three sons, and two had suddenly vanished.

“It’s complicated. As the saying goes, ‘If man does not provoke ghosts, ghosts will not provoke man.’ Your third son ran into a ghost bride, which was his own fault.” Mr. Chen shook his head, looking helpless.

“Please help us, sir. I only have these two sons left. If you help, I’ll marry my granddaughter to you. How about it?” The old Wang patriarch, perhaps desperate or muddle-headed, made this promise before his eldest son could stop him. The granddaughter in question was Wang Jianguo’s youngest daughter, only eighteen, and known for her beauty. Many had sought her hand.

“This won’t do,” Mr. Chen hastily shook his head, but the old patriarch insisted, “How could it not? Rest assured, Mr. Chen, I’ll make this marriage happen!”

Mr. Chen could only nod in the end. Although fortune-tellers were valued, few were willing to marry their daughters to one. This was likely why Mr. Chen, at twenty, was still single.

So, Mr. Chen instructed the Wang family to prepare sticky rice, black dog blood, a brush, and talisman papers. The family quickly gathered everything, and Mr. Chen began drawing talismans, placing them on doors and windows. When midnight arrived, he told the family, “Stay inside and do not open the door, no matter what sounds you hear outside.”

The whole Wang family, young and old, huddled in a room. Outside, they heard the sound of bells and Mr. Chen’s chanting, reciting a bitter incantation in fits and starts. Then, there was a piercing scream from a woman.

A shadow appeared against the wooden window—a woman, banging on the window and cursing the Wang family as though holding a deep grudge.

The Wang family didn’t dare make a sound, but the voice continued, making everyone’s hearts pound. None had the courage to open the door and check, and after half an hour, the sounds finally faded. Then, Mr. Chen opened the door and entered, looking pale, saying, “It’s done. I managed to send the ghost woman away.” With that, he collapsed.

The family carried Mr. Chen to a bed, and when they went to the door, they found both Wang Jianmin and Wang Jiandang lying there.

When Mr. Chen woke up the next day, he explained that the ghost was an old woman who had died nearby. She was born unattractive, and no one had wanted to marry her. After her death, her resentment lingered. Eventually, someone helped perform a ritual to marry her off to another deceased person, so she could reincarnate. But drunken Wang Jiandang had stumbled upon the wedding.

There’s a saying, “The living fear encountering ominous events during celebrations, and ghosts dread encountering the living during their weddings.” This was a very inauspicious matter, and the wedding was ruined, causing the ghost woman to take Wang Jiandang’s soul in anger.

The Wang family thanked Mr. Chen, but he waved it off, saying, “No need to thank me; this isn’t over yet. I promised that ghost woman that Wang Jiandang would marry her in seven days. Otherwise, your entire family will suffer.”

Wang Jianguo objected, but the old patriarch nodded in agreement, saying, “The third one brought this on himself. Let’s go along with Mr. Chen’s plan.”

Under Mr. Chen’s supervision, a ghost marriage was held for Wang Jiandang and the ghost woman. What happened afterward remains unclear, though Wang Jiandang was said to have gone mad, acting erratically. The old patriarch fulfilled his promise and married his youngest granddaughter to Mr. Chen.

But don’t think that’s the end of the story. No, this is only the beginning!

T/L Notes:

1.) Kuomintang (KMT):

According to Wiki, The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a political party in the Republic of China, initially based on the Chinese mainland and then in Taiwan since 1949.