You might have heard of the mythical gold hoard of Yamashita, named after General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the “Tiger of Malaya” who led the Japanese forces in the Southeast Asian campaign of World War II. Yamashita’s Treasure or Yamashita’s Gold, as it has come to be known, refers to the loot amassed by the Japanese during their campaign from banks, places of worship and prisoners – more notably, the hoard has never been found and is said to be hidden somewhere in Southeast Asia. The most common final resting place for this hoard is in the Philippines, but Peter Chan recounts a story from his grandfather of spotting Japanese gold in a vault right here in Singapore!

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One of the traditional festivals that the Chinese take very seriously is the Hungry Ghost Festival held on the seventh lunar month. The festival is also celebrated in other countries like Viet Nam, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore. In Singapore, though the basic tradition of the festival is retained, we celebrate the festival in our very own unique way.

The origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival differs in different cultures. Some people believe that the creation of the festival originated from the time when Maudgaly?yana, a disciple of the Buddha, released his mother from the lower realm by bringing food offerings to the sangha (a community of higher beings) on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

However, a more popular version is the folklore about Mu Lian, a very young and gentle man who constantly helped those in need. In contrast, his mother was callous and hard-hearted, ignoring beggars who asked her for food. She looked down on the poor and cared for no one but herself. Thus, she was furious when Mu Lian became a monk, as she wanted him to support her. After failing to stop him from joining monkhood, she took her anger out on other monks by giving them non-vegetarian food without their knowing. Upon death, she was banished to hell to receive punishments for her evil and unkind deeds. Mu Lian took pity on his mother and tried to feed her, but the food would turn into fire or blood and she had nothing to eat. Mu Lian prayed for his mother’s release from the hell, and his prayers touched the Buddha’s heart. The Buddha decided to open the hell gates once a year during the seventh lunar month so that sinful ghosts could return to earth and receive food. To this day, the Chinese keep this tradition of kindness.

The migration of Chinese from China to Singapore in the 18th and 19th century saw the arrival of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the traditions of which are now widely practiced amongst Singaporeans. The three most important days of the festival are the first, the fifteenth and the last day of the lunar seventh month. On the first day of the festival, people burn incense and other paper offerings in the form of money, cars, houses and such for the ghosts to bring back to hell.

On the fourteenth or fifteenth of the Hungry Ghost month, a lot of offerings are especially made to the ghosts. Large dinner events are usually organised and people may form a table of ten and tuck into a great feast. The offerings are laid out on a big table and after prayers.

Besides paying a fee of twenty dollars per diner, many also participate in the auction of items such as lantern or rice, and the proceeds are saved for next year’s festival. In addition, there are street performances, or getai, to entertain the ghosts. The stage’s background is made of brightly-coloured cardboard and is usually set up temporarily in large empty areas in the suburbs and. The spotlights are of a variety of colours like red, blue, pink and yellow and the performers wear glittery clothing. They sing and speak in Hokkien, and tell a lot of jokes. People enjoy watching these shows but they must always remember to leave a few front-row seats for the ghosts. Recently, competitions like Stomp Getai Awards have been organised, where people watch some selected getai shows and vote for the best artists. Such programmes seek to preserve the tradition of the getai as a unique part of the Singaporean culture.

This festival sees Chinese families welcoming their ancestors’ spirits back, with offerings to appease them with hopes that they bring good fortune. However, such a practice is believed to prevent the lonely ghosts from bringing bad luck to families. About twenty to thirty years ago, people even threw paper money, coins and food on the street for these lonely ghosts to pick up.

There are certain taboos that the particularly superstitious (or even those who are usually less so) religiously observe during the Hungry Ghost Festival. People usually stand in a ring and burn incense and paper notes, it is advisable that one should not step in the ring or the ghosts might follow and bring these individuals bad luck. It is also not encouraged to stay outside in the evening because there are a lot of spirits on the wandering about. Swimming in the seventh lunar month is also strongly discouraged since it is believed that spirits might attempt to drown unsuspecting victims. It is considered unlucky to travel abroad or do sign business agreements in this month. It is of no surprise that swimming complexes and travel agencies do not make much profit during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Some people who have special ability to see spirits do not go out at all. To prevent a spirit from possessing their bodies, some carry with them some small statues of heavenly creatures, which are believed to ward off such spirits.

The Hungry Ghost festival is a precious tradition that we need to maintain and pass down to the future generations. Some might think it pure superstition, but the festival’s true meaning is its role in helping to build family bonds in its emphasis on the ancestral worship and the respect to the deceased.

Article written by: [Le Minh Thu], [National Junior College]

I made a trip to Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) once at night for an inter-school debating session and stayed way past midnight. Once my work was done, I made my way out of the school. Walking past the statue of Tan Kah Kee, Hwa Chong’s founder, erected in the middle of the school, a cold breeze suddenly blew past me. A low monotonous voice was then heard, asking me, “What’s the time now, boy?” It just made my hair stand on its ends. Looking around, however, I saw no one. Looking upwards, I watched in horror as the statue turned its head, with bloodshot eyes coupled with an eerie smile, towards me. Faced with such a situation, I ran out of the school compound as fast as my legs could carry me.

I swore never to enter the grounds of Hwa Chong again. However, I was called back again the next year for another debating session. Reluctantly, I headed to the session, again, staying till 2am. One of the events some of the HCI seniors had planned was to bring us around on a night tour of the school. We started off with the Science Block, where there were rumoured “human babies” kept in bottles and stored for examination. Perhaps it was coincidence, that we heard some faint cries of a mother, calling for her child.

Walking past the field, we were told that the Japanese soldiers had used the area to practice their daily routines and more gruesomely still, as a burial ground during World War II. Many soldiers also died on the field itself. We were dared by the HCI seniors to stand in the middle of the green and shout military commands. Obviously no one took up the challenge, so one of the seniors decided to prove to his peers that there was no need to worry about. As he took his place on the field, our faces turned white. There was something, possibly someone, hovering behind him, breathing loudly. He turned behind and claimed he saw nothing. On a closer look, we still saw the figure, faint and white as a sheet, with long curled fingernails that was just crying for a manicure.

The senior left us to compose himself, leaving us in the care of the other seniors. We then continued with the tour of HCI. Our next stop was the clock tower, which all of us were eager to view. I mean, a giant clock tower in the middle of the school, what’s there not to see? However, we were strongly discouraged against that, as firstly, it was against the school rules and the area was out of bounds to students. Secondly, a teacher had once hanged himself in the clock tower and his restless spirit still lurks in the clock tower itself. Perhaps this explains why the clock would strike 13 times at 12 midnight, let people know of the spirit’s presence.

I’m not sure about what you might have heard about HCI. But from what I know, I’d say staying at home would be a much better choice than making a trip there at night.

Article written by: [Daryl Loy], [National Junior College]

Red Hill, or otherwise known as Bukit Merah in Malay (Bukit = Hill, Merah = Red), has a mysterious and bloody legend tied to the area.

According to Malay legend, when Singapore was populated by fishing villages in the early days, swordfish attacks were a threat to the fishermen. A young boy, concerned for these village men, proposed to the Sultan to build a line of banana tree trunks to ward off the swordfish. The Sultan agreed and executed the boy’s idea. To everyone’s delight, the defence was tough and eliminated the swordfish threat.

But the Sultan saw a new concern: the boy’s intelligence was apparent, and he was afraid that the villagers would shower the boy with more respect and the boy will eventually become more popular than him. He feared being dethroned and realised it was necessary to eradicate this risk. To that, he ordered his soldiers to murder his young competitor.

On that fateful night, four soldiers made their way up to the hill where the boy lived to carry out the mission. But they stopped in their tracks when they saw a fountain of blood spouting from the ground and a woman with long hair standing right before them. Terrified of this sight, the soldiers did not accomplish the mission. It was believed that the strange apparition was caused by a lady spirit.

There is also another version to this legend, where the soldiers carried out the deed. Upon killing the boy, his blood streamed down the hill and in turn caused the soil to turn red.

Ever since, the area has been named Red Hill.

The very idea of haunted houses has intrigued many paranormal enthusiasts. Whether it is a story about victims of suicide, or murder in the residence, haunted houses have satiated the curiosity of many.

For starters, there is the Red House near the Pasir Ris chalet, frequented by inquisitive youngsters in the area. The Red House is a longstanding haunted spot in Singapore, yet the story behind why it is haunted remains unknown. Some have speculated over the heads of the two stone lions at the front of the gate which come alive when explorers walk pass them at night. There is also a belief that before you enter the house, you have to “feed” the lions cigarette butts. The Red House is not accessible, but some have managed to break their way in.

The Bedok Flat, like the Red House, is just as widely reputed. While the Red House remains mysterious, the Bedok Flat at Avenue 4, Block 99, is well known for an infamous suicide case, which was the talk of town for a period of time when the incident occurred. A woman had thrown her sleeping three-year-old son down from the 25th storey and jumped after him. She was wearing a red wedding gown, and the Chinese believe that when person commits suicide in a red outfit, the deceased will return as a vengeful spirit. It is not all untrue. She had left a note, written in her own blood, to her husband, a philanderer and gambling-addict, that read, “It is not over, darling”.

After his wife died, the husband had hoped to sell the flat but to no surprise, there were no interested buyers. So he and his mistress moved in. Three years later, with a son and a maid added into the picture, a fatal incident took place. A little earlier to the misfortune, the maid had told her employers that their son had been playing and laughing in his room with his “elder brother”. The boy’s parents dismissed her concerns, believing their child to be young and imaginative.

One night, the boy had gone into his parents’ bedroom because his “elder brother” had bullied him. The father woke up harassed by being woken up suddenly, reprimanded his son to stop making up stories. Too afraid to return to his room, the boy insisted on sleeping with his parents, which they had little choice but to give in to his whims.

In the middle of the night, banging noises coming from the cupboard and crying was heard from the boy’s room. The father found the crying to resemble that of his dead son and decided to check out the situation only to find nothing in the boy’s room. It was then that the maid screamed and the father rushed back to his room to find his son standing on the window edge, waving and laughing to his parents. It is not understood how the window grilles was opened. With a final goodbye kiss, he said he was going to fly with his “elder brother” like Superman, before he took the plunge down.

When the police arrived, the parents were too distraught to speak. What was eerier were the Chinese words scribbled on the wall of the parents’ room, saying “This is for mummy”. It was believed the day this unfortunate incident took place was also the birthday of the young boy’s brother who was previously thrown down the flat by his mother.

The house remains vacant till today. Neighbours would still hear the cries of a lady at night, believed to belong to the deceased first wife. Other times, they would hear a boy and a woman laughing together.

What a tragedy! But at least this Bedok flat remains vacant because of its well-circulated rumour. The same can’t be said for the Changi Old Beach houses which are available for lease. Families looking for a short vacation by the sea over the weekend would book these vacation chalets. Instead of having a retreat, a few unlucky ones would find the stay more disturbing than relaxing. Most people have reported the feeling of being stared at, while some would hear scary noises in the middle of the night. In more extreme cases, others have reported slaps by unknown forces while bathing, while others have said they were possessed by spirits.

Perhaps it’s the thrill of exploring the unknown or the opportunity to encounter the supernatural that has many trooping to these haunted houses. Because you may never know what is in store…

If anyone thought of hospitals as haunted, it is seldom that people would question why. Some believe that though the dead may be gone, their spirits still linger. It is no wonder that when we think of haunted places, hospitals are among the first few spooky spots that come to mind.

Here in Singapore, the most popular haunted hospital is the Old Changi Hospital. OCH was not intended to be a hospital when first built – the British were planning for it to be a military location. It was later converted to a military hospital where all wounded soldiers and civilians were attended to. When the Japanese Occupation ended, it was converted back to a public hospital, with a military ward on the third level.

When the hospital operations were replaced by the new Changi General Hospital, OCH was isolated and left vacant. Haunted stories started emerging, with some visitors claiming to have sighted apparitions of soldiers and prisoners-of-war. Security guards of the site were no strangers to door slamming and unknown screaming in the middle of the night either. It is also a common belief that visitors should enter in groups of even numbers. Should the group be of an odd number, someone will inevitably find themselves with a new ‘partner’ when they leave the compounds.

While there are other haunted hospitals, OCH has gained notoriety. Its years of vacancy and easy accessibility to public have allowed curious locals to wander in and experience what OCH has to “offer”.

Photo Courtesy: Imagesingapore

Bukit Chandu, Opium Hill in Malay, is a historical site where the brave battle between the Japanese and British took place in Singapore during World War II. The Malay Regiment, which fought together with the British, was led by Lt Adnan Bin Saidi, a man known amongst Singaporeans for his valour during the war.

The battle at Bukit Chandu was fierce and unfortunate, for the defenders had lesser soldiers and weapons to start out with. The Japanese successfully launched several heavy attacks which managed to shatter the defence line. By this point, many lives were already lost, and the Malay Regiment leader was badly injured.

Nonetheless, the fighting spirit in Lt Adnan spurred him and his men to keep fighting. Instead of surrendering to the Japanese, who were getting frustrated by their defiance, Lt Adnan continued to battle hard, and encouraged his men to do the same. The prospect of surrendering was shameful – they would not be able to live with the guilt, knowing that they did not fight to the last man, nor would they be able to face their families, who were patiently waiting for them at home with much faith.

Due to the far contrast in strength of soldiers and weapons, the Japanese eventually won the battle. Many defending soldiers were taken as Prisoners of War, while Lt Adnan was captured and tortured ruthlessly under a rubber tree, before bayoneted to death. His body was never found and it is believed that the tree can found at Pepys Road, Carpark B. Many have sought to look for this infamous tree during their trip to the War World II-themed museum, Reflections at Bukit Chandu nearby.

Kampong Java Park was adopted by Kandang Kerbau (KK) Women and Children Hospital in 1999 to serve the patients as a “healing garden”. During the day, patients will drop by the park for some fresh air and scenery viewing. At night, it makes a quiet and romantic spot for lovers. However, all is not what it seems to be…

At night, mysterious incidents have occurred to innocent couples and visitors of the park. Whisperings can often be heard, and some even experience an unexplainable slap on their faces. Much to the curiosity of visitors, several wind chimes hang on the fragile tree branches right above the huge lily pond in the compound.

Speculations on how these wind chimes could have been placed there remain uncertain – the branches are too high and inaccessible, and furthermore too fragile to support the weight of a human. While using a ladder might be an option to hang these wind chimes, consider that impossible since you can’t place a ladder on a pond.

And should the park be haunted, by whom then? Rumour has it that the park used to be a mass burial ground during WWII. After the war, this mass grave was converted to a lily pond and whether all the dead bodies were excavated remains unclear. Word also has it that several children have drowned in the pond.

Orang Minyak, meaning “oily man” in Malay, is a supposed ghost in the Malay culture. Orang Minyak is believed to be a man who was cursed after his attempt to win his love back with magic. The “oily man” is characterised by the grease on his naked body, which makes him hard to catch or see.

It is believed that the Orang Minyak can be found in several Malaysian towns and is infamous for raping young women. There is one version of this folklore which saw the Orang Minyak worshipping the devil in order to attain powers of the black arts. In order to do so, he had to rape 21 virgins within a week. In another version, the Orang Minyak is invisible to the non-virgins. This has led to a mass panic among unmarried women, causing them to wear sweaty shirts to give the impression to the Orang Minyak that they are with a man.

The popularity of the Orang Minyak has created a number of films that are based on this folklore. One such film is “Sumpah Orang Minyak” (The Curse of the Oily Man). Over the years, however, reputed sightings of the Orang Minyak have reduced. There was a possibility that the legend was used to cover up actual rapes that surfaced.

Photo Courtesy: Napie Photography

In Malay folklore and Indonesian mythology, the Pontianak is a type of vampire. They are usually women who die during childbirth and become undead (deceased who exhibit certain living characteristics) with the purpose to seek revenge. In Indonesia, the name “Pontianak” is derived from a creature that haunted the men and was known to suck the heads off anyone who has their eyes opened.

It is believed that a Pontianak announces her presence through the cries of babies, or in the form of a beautiful lady. She usually exudes an alluring floral scent, followed by an awful stench. Those who get too close to a Pontianak will be terrorised by the spirit and killed. She slays her victims by digging into their stomachs with her sharp fingernails and devouring their organs. In some cases with male individuals, the Pontianak will rip out the victim’s sex organs with her hands. It is said the the spirit of the Pontianak is often associated with banana trees as it is said to reside in these trees during the day.

The Pontianak locates its prey by sniffing clothes left outside to dry. For this reason, many Malay families refuse to hang their clothes outside overnight. Some believe that sharp objects, such as nails, help to ward off potential attacks from a Pontianak. In some situations, a nail can be plunged into the back of the neck of the vampire to turn it into a beautiful lady again. She transforms back into a vampire again when the nail is pulled out,.

There have been many stories of unfortunate encounters with a Pontianak. Most of these victims are male who were “attacked” during the night. They would usually hear the cry of a baby, only to turn back and find a woman dressed in white carrying a small child. When the concerned victims approach the lady in white, the Pontianak would slowly look up, and under the moonlight, her red eyes and distorted face are tell-tale signs. The victims would also claim that the female vampire possess a look of hunger for them and tell her intended victims that “I need a young man like you”. Although they were lucky to have escaped the unwanted encounter with a pretty lady (at first sight), many have never shaken the ordeal off.