HAUNTED PLACES IN CHINA

1)YUN SHAN DIAN HOTEL: Located in Chengde, a small city in the mountains northeast of Beijing, this hotel is haunted by a man wearing western-style clothing, accompanied by a woman in ancient Chinese dress. The couple haunts the area at the end of the hallway on the 8th floor.

2)THE FORBIDDEN CITY: In the Imperial palace that was the center of power in China for over 600 years, Spectres of Imperial concubines & ghostly eunuchs roam the through it’s many rooms and halls, just like they did in life. It was the Imperial Palace for over 600 years, stretching from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It was home to the country’s most powerful imperial families and their retinue of slaves and concubines. Not surprisingly, there was betrayal and palace intrigue everywhere. Servants and officials literally stabbed each other in the back in attempt to eliminate political opponents in the ranks. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that the Forbidden City is lousy with miserably earthbound spirits. Ghostly music has been heard playing at night and groups of ghostly women in waiting and eunuchs have been seen walking through the corridors by only to disappear around the corner.  One spine chilling tale was of a guard, a soldier named Fat Fu who served as a Forbidden City guard in the mid-1990s being bothered by a strange woman with long hair and a black gown. Finally, he, along wth another guard started chasing her, yelling at her, but she ran away.  Assuming that she was a thief, they chased the woman for some distance, cornering her in a room and locking a door behind them. They then ordered her to turn around. When she did the men screamed in horror because she had NO FACE!!—she was a ghost.

For six centuries, the Forbidden City served as the Chinese imperial palace. Which means it was home for the royal family, along with all their advisors, attendants and concubines. Throughout the centuries numerous murders of power and passion have occurred within  the palace’s walls. Visitors often see ghosts of eunuchs and brides-in-waiting walking the halls.

3) THE BURMA INN: Many years ago, a guest staying at this Beijing hotel died after being poisoned by the head chef. Guilt stricken, the chef committed suicide by stabbing himself to death…what a way to go. The vengeful murder victim’s spirit haunts the hotel in a perpetual search for the murderous chef.

4)  HUGUAN OPERA HOUSE: The place was originally built in 1807 to serve as a home for the poor but incredibly, it built over an ancient graveyard! Now, though it serves as an opera house and museum, it’s, not surprisingly, is VERY haunted. Guests commonly hear sounds of human shouting but see no one.

5) THE GREAT WALL: The most enigmatic symbol of China, The Great Wall that spans more than 5000 miles was built in sections, beginning around 7th century BC. The wall stretches for more than 5,000 miles and was built to protect the Chinese Empire from invasion by hostile nomadic groups. Some sections were constructed as early as the 7th century BC. Approximately 1 MILLION, (with an “m”), soldiers are estimated to have died constructing the wall and countless people  have reported witnessing spirits walking the wall or hearing marching footsteps made by invisible people. Many of these ghost stories center on “The Wild Wall”, the segment just north of Beijing. Several hikers have died along this portion of the wall recently. “Those deaths were chalked up to fatal falls and lightning strikes, but not everyone believes the reports,” states the website of the American TV show, Destination Truth, which traveled to China to sleuth out the mystery. The show reported that at the spot where the deaths occurred, villagers regularly have encounters with long-dead soldiers. The show’s host, Josh, saw “cat-like movement in the distance”,
along with a crashing noise, the smell of fire and a strange animal calling. Josh stopped in his tracks, reads the show’s website, “feeling  someone — or something— is messing around with video equipment in his backpack. Nobody is near him.”

HAUNTED PLACES IN AUSTRALIA

1. Monte Cristo Homestead in Junee, New South Wales.

The history: A boy burned alive in the stables, a small girl was “pushed” out of a maid’s arms and down the stairs by a mysterious unseen force, and most recently in 1961, the gardener was shot by a young man who was obsessed with the film Psycho.

How it’s haunted: Guests often report seeing strange lights, feeling strange presences, and many who choose to stay overnight report seeing former lady of the house Mrs. Crawley.

2. Old Melbourne Gaol in Melbourne, Victoria.

 

The history: Ned Kelly and 132 other convicts were hanged there.

How it’s haunted: People have reported hearing disembodied voices and other strange noises, as well as cold spots.

3. Princess Theatre, in Melbourne, Victoria.

Michael Coghlan / Creative Commons / Flickr

 The history: In March 1888, baritone “Frederick Federici” (real name Frederick Baker) was playing Mephistopheles in Gounod’s opera Faust. At the end of the opera, Mephistopheles sank dramatically through a trapdoor in the stage, to portray returning to fiery hell with his prize, Dr Faustus. While Federici was being lowered through the trap door, he suffered a heart attack, dying almost immediately. Although he never returned to the stage, cast members of the production all reported seeing him on stage, taking his bows with the rest of the cast.

Hauntings reported: Many theatregoers and workers have reported seeing Frederick’s ghost, and sightings are considered a good omen.

4. Fremantle Arts Centre in Western Australia.

The history: Prior to becoming an art centre this was, you guessed it, an insane asylum, and is believed to be one of the most haunted buildings in the Southern Hemisphere.

How it’s haunted: People have reported unwelcome feelings, cold spots, figures being mysteriously added to photographs, feelings of being touched, and doors opening and closing. There are also reports that ghosthunters heard voices saying “those are chains” and “it’s not cold.”

5. National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

The history: Until 1984, this building was the Australian Institute of Anatomy, so yeah, they collected body parts described as “notable.”

How it’s haunted: One contracter claims to have been pinned against a wall by an unseen force, while others report that the downstairs corridor, once used to house hundreds of human skulls, is a hotspot for paranormal activity.

6. Port Arthur in Tasmania.

The history: Originally sold as an an ‘inescapable prison,’ many convicts died here over the years. Port Arthur was also the location ofAustralia’s last shooting massacre in 1996, which prompted the introduction of stricter gun control in Australia.

How it’s haunted: Over the past 20 years, 1800 apparitions have been spotted and they do nightly ghost tours.

7. Devil’s Pool near Babinda, Queensland.

The history: 17 people have died here since 1959, the most recent being in November 2008.

How it’s haunted: Aboriginal folklore says that a woman drowned herself here after being separated from her lover, and now she haunts the pool, luring men to the pool to join her in death. People have reported seeing strange apparitions and the sound of someone crying.

8. Anglican Parish of Mulgoa, New South Wales.

The history: Twin boys burned to death after a prank went wrong.

How it’s haunted: The ghosts of the twin boys remain at the church, and they get angry when around fire. There’s also an urban legend that claims that if you drive around the church at night, the headlights of your car will switch off, and if you continue, the car will stall.

9. Boggo Road Jail in Brisbane, Queensland.

The history: A prison known for its underground cellblock called the “black hole.”

How it’s haunted: Many executed prisoners are said to haunt this jail, as well as the ghost of one of the prison guards, whose ghost can be heard wandering the halls, jangling his keys.

10. Seppeltsfield Winery in the Barossa Valley, South Australia.

 

The history: Oscar Benno Seppelt allegedly went insane after a prolonged amount of time in his private retreat, hidden away behind a trophy cellar.

How it’s haunted: Guests report the sensation of being watched and pushed by forces that are not there. The lights will not turn on after 7pm. Moans, whispers and gunshots have been heard, as well as sounds of machinery working in a building that has been locked for over 150 years. There are bloodstained walls in the mausoleum that are wet on the anniversary of their deaths.