It is popular belief that graveyards are closely connected with
ghost hauntings. Other sites include hospitals, old palaces,
abandoned houses, old buildings, factories, schools and hostels.
Museums also have anecdotal accounts of ghosts.
Historians disclose that most Malay villagers in the 19th century
avoided treatment in the hospitals. Apart from the fear of being
confined in a strange institution, the villagers also feared the
malignant souls of the dead patients. laters contemporary reseach
in Hong Kong reveals that hospitals are common ghost haunted
sites.
In Hong Kong most ghost encounters in buildings occupied by the
Japanese in World War II. In Malaysia, execution sites were abound
with ghost stories. In Singapore, Japanese ghost appear as hairy
monsters. The phenomenon in conjunction with the Japanese
occupation during the World War II illustrated the belief in ghost
emanating from violent death.
Ghost are believed to be attracted to abandoned houses. However,
the motive of the haunted house shows a distinct cultural variation
in the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago. One theory holds that houses
and palaces are always identified with their occupants. An
unoccupied residence is considered an abnormality and once
abandoned, the house itself became ehauntedii.
Haunted site also include locations where sudden or accidental
death occurred. The hantu pelak is a malignant spirit that haunts a
place where a crime has beeb committed. The Chinese feared the
place where drowning occurred. It is believed that a victim of
drowning will remain on this earth as an evil ghost for he is
blocked from reincarnation process. The ghost could only be
released by drowning someone else to take its place as a
substitute.
In Malaysia, outbreaks of hysteria have always occurred at
factories, hostels and schools. As the phenomenon is generally
associated with young girls, psychologists offer Freudian
explanations. On the other hand, traditional healers and shaman
identify this phenomena as a spirit possession and counsel spirit
appeasement. In Bali, shamanistic healers known as balian are
regularly engaged to deal with this phenomenon at schools.
The most haunted Asian city is considered to be Singapore, offering
an array of haunted spots to explore. At the Hougang School,
strange lights have been seen, which can be located close to the
East Coast Beach. An unseen presence has been reported at the
Changi Beach Houses. Along the coastal region near Lor Halus, there
are ghosts that have been encountered, who will beg for food.
The St. John Island in Singapore has been the site where a ghost
calls out for help, disappearing shortly after. An apparition of a
screaming woman has been documented haunting the Hou Gang
Tenements. If you ever venture through the MRT mass transit
station, you may come in contact with a headless apparition that
often torments passengers. The Fort Sentosa district is known for a
family that committed suicide together and now haunts people at the
Punggol White House.
In Hong Kong, there is a highway that has gained a reputation as
being haunted. The Tuen Mun Road is known for a high death toll
that is attributed to ghosts who wander about the area. They pop up
out of nowhere, causing numerous accidents. Many have lost their
life on this expressway. Beijing�s Buma Inn, found in China, is
haunted by a ghost, who lost his life because a chef poisoned his
food. The chef then stabbed himself to death after the incident. It
is said that the diner still roams about in search for the chef who
killed him.
Another haunted location within China is in Chengde, where you will
find Yun Shan Fan Dian, which is a hotel that is said to be haunted
by a man dressed in western clothes. The ghost of a woman wearing
an empress outfit from ancient times accompanies him. They can be
found wandering about the end of the corridor on the 8th story.
They can be spotted looking down the balcony.
When you reach Seoul, Korea, you may want to stop by the University
of Seoul. Here, you will find tales regarding what can be
encountered within some of the older dorms. It is said that there
are numerous souls belonging to the living dead, as well as several
poltergeists. It is believed that depending on whom you are in
contact with, you could either be helped or bothered by these
souls. Some dorms are filled with a sweet smell while others
feature an unnerving scent.
In Malaysia, there is the Tambun Inn located in Ipoh, which has
documentation regarding lights turning on and off within the inn,
as well as the odd sound of whispers. In the area, there is also a
ghost of an old woman that can be seen on the side of the road
while driving. Sometimes the door at the Kellies Castle in Perak
opens on its own, where inside plenty of frightening screams can be
heard.
Other haunted locations include: University of Pancasila, as well
as the Jakarta History Museum in Jakarta; a 2-story house, referred
to as Sector W, Defense Housing Society, found in Lahore in
Pakistan; the Xinhai Tunnel in Taipei, Taiwan.
