Haunted Places in Beijing, China II

Located in the middle of the city, the Forbidden City served as the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. In this article, you will learn about two haunted tales of Beijing sites, including the tomb of a general that served during the Ming Dynasty.

The Forbidden City

Behind the walls of this popular attraction, there is more than six centuries of history. In its heyday, the palace saw a great deal of executions, which were commonplace for people that committed what was seen as disloyalty and disobedience. If you went against the imperial rule at the time, you were sentenced to death.

The palace was also home to hundreds of concubines, guards, servants, and members of the army. Because of this, it was not uncommon to see murder take place at the palace. Sometimes, murder was the method of choice for some to obtain their aspirations , a concubine would become jealous, servants want to prove their loyalty, or guards desire a higher rank. Many people wanted to gain respect and power, as well as get closer to the Emperor. The violence and treachery that took place within the palace also translated into the haunted history of the palace.

During the late 1940s, the Imperial Palace was transformed into a museum and site for tourists. Guards were hired to look after the ancient grounds. They started to experience odd happenings inside the gates of the Forbidden City. One of the reports involved seeing weird creatures running around the premises at night. Some believe they have come in contact with the ghosts of concubines who are seen crying in the quarters of the palace. One man claims to have seen a woman crying while she walked around the grounds. She was dressed in white, and when he said something to her as he was behind her, she did not respond.

The Tomb of General Yuan

During the Ming Dynasty, it was General Yuan Chonghuan that made waves for his military command. In the 1630s, he was responsible for keeping the Manchu army at bay. The general was a loyal supporter of the emperor, and he did everything in his power to protect the land and the Imperial family. However, there were many that were jealous of his accomplishments. They whispered malicious lies in the ear of the emperor. The lies shed doubt on the intentions of the general, and the emperor responded by sentencing him to a painful death of 1,000 cuts.

It is said that before Yuan was executed, he vowed that his soul would always guard Liaodong Peninsula. The general was tortured and his body was severed into many pieces. The people of Beijing believed in his supposed disloyalty, and when he was dead, they bought and ate his remains. The only thing left of the man was his head, which was saved by a faithful member of his troops. He buried it at Guanchu Men, where his family held guard ever since.

Some say that the ghost of General Yuan returns to seek revenge or guard the territory , roaming about in the middle of the night.