A Collection of 1,000 Folk Ghost Stories

The Secret of the Ancient Village

In an era when roads were poor and information traveled slowly, a small village called Qingping lay hidden among encircling mountains, so quiet it seemed forgotten by time. Its houses stood in orderly clusters, built of wood and earth, with thatched roofs and the occasional wisp of smoke rising from their chimneys. A winding dirt road ran through the village, beside a burbling stream so clear that fish and stones on the riverbed were plainly visible.

The village had many taboos, and its people believed in them wholeheartedly. For instance, no one was to go alone to the old woods behind the village after sunset. On the first and fifteenth day of every month, they had to make offerings to their ancestors at home and pray for their protection. If someone in the family died, cats and dogs were not allowed near the mourning hall during the vigil. These taboos were like invisible ropes, binding the villagers' words and actions.

A lively young man named Afu lived in the village. Curious about everything in the world, he was especially fascinated by the mysterious and unknown. He was tall and sturdy, with skin darkened by the sun. When he smiled, he showed a row of white teeth, and his eyes sparkled with intelligence and vitality. Afu had heard that the old woods behind the village concealed secrets no one knew about, and his desire to explore them grew ever stronger. To him, the taboos were nothing but nonsense.