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Curiosities & Strange TalesAn Old Photograph
This is a photograph from 1995: a Daoist priest sitting on a coffin. It looks like a normal custom in a folk activity, nothing strange about it. The strange thing is that a corpse plus coffin normally weighs around four hundred jin, but after the priest chanted a spell and sat on it, it not only did not feel heavier—it actually felt much lighter.
A Method for Dissolving Fish Bones with Medicine
Fish bones stuck in the throat are a common occurrence, and often there is no way but to go to the hospital—at a better hospital they can help extract it. But extracting with tweezers also has its conditions. Stuck bones are mostly in one of three places: the left and right tonsils, the piriform recesses of the throat, and the esophagus. If handled improperly, and the fish bone is too deep, the slightest carelessness will pierce the esophagus and even cause esophageal bleeding, making it very hard to extract.
Curiosities & Strange TalesRetrospective Analysis of the Sources of Popular Photos of Posthumous Marriages on the Internet
最早的说法是这样的，说此照片摄于1930-1933左右广东，左边的女子出生在一个大户人家独女，男子是当地一有名帅哥，但家景不太好，富家小姐 不幸早逝，亡去约十日后经媒婆说媒， 此男倒插门至女家继承家产。旧时风俗，成年男女未婚而亡不吉，有钱人家找活人嫁娶，一般人家是找故去的男女嫁娶，名曰阴婚。此女亡去多时用木架将其架立成 礼故双腿悬空。 这个说法可能是最早的说法，但这个说法不够夺人眼球，于是又有人在
Five-Year-Old Boy Claims to Be Reincarnated?
Over the past couple of days, the internet has been actively reporting a news story stating: "Luke Ruehlman, a 5-year-old boy from Cincinnati, Ohio, has been telling his parents about his past life since he was 2 years old, claiming that in his previous life he was a black-haired woman named Pam who died at the age of 30 after jumping out of a burning house". Because domestic news media can often be baffling, I looked into the source of the news. In more detailed domestic reports, the title is: "Boy, five, claims to have the
Curiosities & Strange TalesIt is 'Luo Dong Hua Nu', not 'Luo Hua Dong Nu'
The term 'Luo Dong Hua Nu' originated from folk beliefs, but since Mr. Shen Congwen wrote about Western Hunan, the three evils of Western Hunan—gu magic, corpse driving, and Gangxian—have become representative. In Mr. Shen Congwen's writings, 'Gangxian' generally refers to fortune-telling witches and shamans, similar to what is now called 'Chuma Xian', i.e., individuals possessed by demons or evil spirits who practice cultivation, while 'Luo Dong' belongs to a type of regional culture. The concept of 'Luo Dong' is clearly described in Mr. Shen Congwen's works: "All women who fall into Luo Dong must have bright eyes, pure and gentle temperaments, and be intelligent and beautiful. They must be unmarried, passionate, and good at adornment. Usually, they live chastely and quietly, with intense emotions not outwardly displayed, turning to many fantasies. Occasionally going out, they think that at some unintentional moment they passed by a cave, and the Cave God glanced at them and was pleased with them. Therefore, they love solitude more, love sitting quietly, love cleanliness, and sometimes even talk to themselves, often believing that the Cave God has come to see them riding clouds and rainbows. This abstract god may resemble the appearance in legends, or the idol in temples remembered from memory, or the shape of snakes and tigers, which are common yet feared by women."
Unveiling the Secret Trick: Animal Immobilization
In some places, you can see so-called masters performing the immobilization trick, where they take an animal, press it down while muttering incantations, and then release it. The animal remains motionless and only suddenly wakes up and moves again when the incantation is repeated. In fact, these are all deceptive street tricks, essentially animal hypnosis. Here, we will discuss this type of trick. First, let's talk about the most common chicken. Chicken immobilization is the simplest, with two methods. One involves manipulating two tendons under the chicken's wings, causing it to become still, known as 'dumb as a wooden chicken.' Another method involves forcibly pressing the chicken to the ground and drawing a line away from its beak for a distance of at least half a meter. After a few seconds, the chicken will not move. To make it move again, a loud sound like clapping is sufficient.
Curiosities & Strange TalesOn the Folk Syndrome of Infant Night Crying Known as 'Pig Hair Wind' (Also Called Pig Hair Sha) and Its Treatment Principles
Pig Hair Wind is a folk term; it does not appear in formal medicine, meaning neither Traditional Chinese Medicine nor Western Medicine recognizes this condition. Since it poses no major harm, it naturally disappears as the child grows older. Its symptoms mainly appear in newborns. At night, when the infant is trying to sleep, they have difficulty falling asleep and cry, but this is not due to being startled. Once picked up, the crying stops. To determine if it is Pig Hair Wind, one can apply human milk to the infant's body and gently rub it. Needle-like protrusions will be found, feeling hard like thorns. In severe cases, the entire body resembles a hedgehog. In addition to human milk, egg whites can also be used. It is generally visible after rubbing the hands, feet, back, chest,
Curiosities & Strange TalesMalaysia: Chinese Woman's Cremation Niche Vandalized with Talismans After Rape and Murder Case
According to Malaysia's Kwong Wah Yit Poh, the highly publicized case of Zhu Yuye, a Chinese woman who was raped and murdered in Malaysia, has been successfully appealed with the support of all parties. However, her cremation niche was found to be vandalized with talismans, leaving her father, Zhu Yashou, deeply perplexed. Zhu Yashou expressed his grief over this incident, stating that seeing tens of thousands of people respond to the petition was indeed a source of great comfort for the Zhu family. He could not understand how, at this time, malicious individuals would not even spare his daughter's cremation niche. He could not comprehend why, given the tragic fate his daughter had already suffered, the perpetrator could bear to target her cremation niche and what their motive might be. He condemned newspapers and magazines for publishing photos of his daughter's cremation niche and its identification number, which made it easy for lawbreakers to locate and vandalize the site.
Curiosities & Strange TalesAfrican Sacrificial Witchcraft Market
The world's three major witchcraft markets are the witchcraft market in Sonora, North America (Mexico), the Akodessewa sacrificial market in the West African country of Togo, and the witchcraft market in Phuket, Thailand. Among them, the African sacrificial witchcraft market is recognized as the world's largest sacrificial market, filled with primitive witchcraft sacrifices, where almost all kinds of sacrifices in the world can be purchased.
Curiosities & Strange TalesUS UFO Documentary Sirius: The Smallest Alien Corpse Incident Discovered in Chile
In 2003, a man in a small town in the Atacama Desert of Chile, while digging near an abandoned church in the town, discovered an object wrapped in white cloth. Upon opening it, he found a mummy. This mummy appeared human, but its total length was only about 15 centimeters, it had hard teeth, a large head, a protrusion at the top of the skull, dark body color, scales on its body surface, and only 9 ribs. These are characteristics completely different from those of humans. It was called the "mini alien." Local Chilean newspapers described that although this corpse was only 15 centimeters long, it was wrapped in white cloth and looked quite solemn. The media also described
Curiosities & Strange TalesSome Historical Records About Dragons
● (Book of the Later Han, Treatise on the Five Elements): A dragon descended upon the Wenming Hall, causing a drop in temperature. This sentence is cited in the Qing dynasty's "Luoyang County Gazetteer, Treatise on Anomalies" as "black like a carriage canopy, rising and surging swiftly, with five colors." The "Book of the Later Han" is even more explicit. On the day dingchou of the sixth month in the first year of Guanghe during Emperor Ling's reign, a black vapor fell into the eastern courtyard of the Wenming Hall in the Northern Palace. It was black like a carriage canopy, rose and moved swiftly, its body bearing five colors, with a head, and a body over ten zhang in length, resembling a dragon in form. ● (History of the Yuan, Treatise on the Five Elements) states: In the seventh month of the twenty-seventh year of Zhiyuan, a dragon appeared at Longshan in Linqu County, Yidu. A boulder weighing a thousand jin floated into the air. ● In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an in the Eastern Han dynasty, a yellow dragon appeared in the Chishui River at Wuyang, lingered for nine days, and then departed. At the time, a temple was built and a stele erected to commemorate this event. ● In the first year of Yonghe in the Eastern Jin dynasty...
The Taoist Priest Jia Shifang Executed by Emperor Yongzheng
贾士芳是白云观的道士，一般说是， 贾士芳当年曾经装神弄鬼，结果被雍正发现，于是处死。这个说法实际上是不符合历史的，真实的原因是，雍正首先是承认贾士芳治疗是有效果的，但另一方面怀疑贾士芳试图用治病来控制他，所以把贾士芳处死了。 先看民间传说中的贾士芳，袁枚《子不语》载： 贾士芳，河南人，少似痴愚。有兄某读书，命士芳耕作。时时心念，欲往游天上。一日，有道人问曰：“尔欲上天耶？”曰：“然。”道士曰：“尔
Legend of the Meridian Terrace
The First Emperor constructed the Cloud Bright Terrace, gathering rare woods from all directions and seeking skilled craftsmen from across the world. From the south, he obtained the Jade Trees of Yanqiu, the Burning Sands of Li River, the Vermilion Clay of Bendu, the Plain Bamboo of Yungang...
拾遗记载鬼谷子
张仪、苏秦二人，同志好学，迭剪发而鬻之，以相养。或佣力写书，非圣人之言不读。遇见《坟》《典》，行途无所题记，以墨书掌及股里，夜还而写之，析竹为简。二人每假食於路，剥树皮编以为书帙，以盛天下良书。尝息大树之下，假息而寐有一先生问：“二子何勤苦也？”仪、秦又问之：“子何国人？”答曰：“吾生於归谷。”亦云鬼谷，鬼者，归也。又云，归者，谷名也。乃请其术，教以干世出俗之辩，即探胸内，得二卷说书，言辅时之事。
The Legend of the Spirit Fox Worshipping the Moon in Sanjia Village, Laofuyu County, Jilin Province
Legend has it that west of Xisanjiazi Village, on the earth cliff of Xidazui, there stands an ancient elm tree. It is considered ancient because no one can recall how many hundreds of years it has existed. The tree's main trunk is thick, extending left and turning right, with a unique and extraordinary growth pattern; its branches intertwine in all directions, limbs climbing and arms winding; its leaves are lush, green, and dense, shading the sky and blocking the sun. Under the tree, dozens of people can sit and lie down to enjoy the cool shade with ample room. It is said that one year, after a long and harsh winter passed, spring arrived, and the weather gradually warmed. People who had not visited the ancient elm tree throughout the winter began to gather from the village again. At this time, someone noticed an unknown path trodden in the snow leading directly to the base of the tree trunk, connecting to smooth marks running up the trunk to a circular hole about one zhang high with a diameter of roughly one chi. The hole mouth was smooth and shiny, suggesting that animals frequently entered and exited.
Drukpa Kunley
Drukpa Kunley (1455–1520) is regarded by the people of Bhutan as a highly legendary practitioner. Born into the noble 'Gya' family, his behavior was somewhat akin to that of the Chinese monk Jigong. After the passing of Tsangpa Gyare, the founder of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, the Gya family led the Drukpa tradition at Lhunnab Monastery. He lived in the same era as the great Bhutanese tertön Pema Lingpa and was also his disciple. Drukpa Kunley grew up in a strict monastic environment, receiving teachings from many eminent lamas. He practiced according to the Vinaya and engaged in the practical application of the teachings he studied. At the age of 25, he attained enlightenment and reached a high spiritual state. After his realization, he left the monastery, renouncing institutionalized monastic life to choose a life of wandering with a bow and arrow.
Known Online Lilliputian Information (Part 3)
Author: chiffon skirt Time: 2011-05-22 15:39:00 Author: Rabbit is a dog Reply date: 2010-9-28 23:06:00 I saw it once when I was a child. There were three or four very small people playing with me by the window, and then my mom came in and they disappeared. It seems like many people have seen little people. They're called little people, but they don't seem to be human, more like elves or something. I believe such elves exist, otherwise not so many people would have seen them. 145# Reply Author: Ghost Ghost Little Master Reply date: 2010-9-29 23:48
Known Online Lilliputian Information (Part 2)
Author: Don't Understand the Killing Game Time: 2011-05-18 22:43:00 Has anyone ever seen or heard of experiences with "little white people"? 2011-04-04 18:36:53 From: Can Seng (Don't ask me if I'm a monk, because I'm Li Can Seng) I've always heard older generations or friends mention it—a kind of thing that only appears at night. Not sure if it's a ghost or an unknown creature. It's about the height of a thermos, all white, seems afraid of people, and doesn't harm anyone. Has anyone heard anything about little white people? Let's discuss. 2011-04-04
Known Online Materials About Lilliput (Part 1)
For this utterly bizarre experience, I can finally register a Tianya account to tell everyone about it. Earlier, it was also here that I saw a post about something witnessed in childhood—that mysterious little airplane. At the time, I immediately thought of the "Lilliput" I had seen in my youth. Coincidentally, in that little airplane post, a few people also mentioned it in passing, so I'll recount the whole story of how I saw the Lilliput. I was born in Beijing in 1984. As everyone knows, old Beijing had countless hutongs, and I was a child who grew up in one. Around 1996, on a summer evening, I, along with another...
The Immortal Jellyfish - Who Says There Is No Immortality in the World?
评：谁言天下无长生？ [导读]如果科学家们的猜测是正确的话，那么水母很可能拥有长生不老的秘诀。解开这一秘诀或将帮助人们实现长生不老的愿望。 腾讯科学讯（过客/编译）如果科学家们是正确的话，那么水母就可能拥有长生不老的秘诀。那是《纽约时报杂志》中的一篇文章预先提出的，该文章调查了一种被称为“不死水母”的水母物种。它的学名是灯塔海月水母（有时也称灯塔水母），这种微小的生物具有把它自身的细胞恢复到年轻状
Hebei Girl Writes English with Left Hand and Chinese Characters with Right Hand, Comparable to Xiao Longnü
左右手同时写不一样的汉字，甚至左手写英语与右手写汉字同时进行，河北省邯郸市一位23岁的女孩能运用如此令人瞠目结舌的“分心术”，“一心二用”堪比武侠小说里的小龙女。 记者近日在邯郸市见到了这位名叫陈思远的女孩。据她介绍，自己不是刻意练习出来的这项技能，而是自然形成的：“上高中时，有一次为了突击完成老师布置的作业，我下意识地想到用两只手同时写作业，结果真成功了。同学们都觉得稀奇，纷纷学这一招，但没有一
Qingfu Coins and Aphrodisiac Theory
There is a bug in the south, named Nèn Xiē, also known as Cè Xiē, and further called Qīng Chén. It resembles a cicada but is slightly larger, has a pungent and delicious taste, and is edible. When laying eggs, it must rely on grass leaves, and the eggs are as large as silkworm eggs. If its eggs are taken, the mother immediately flies over, regardless of distance. Even if the eggs are secretly taken, the mother always knows where they are. Using the mother's blood to coat 81 coins, and the offspring's blood to coat another 81 coins, whenever purchasing goods, whether using the mother's coins first or the offspring's coins first, they all fly back again, rotating endlessly. Therefore, in the 'Huainanzi Shu', it is used to return money, named Qingfu. Explanation: Legend has it that there is a bug in the south called Yǐ Wō, also known as Qingfu, and also named Yú Bó. Its shape resembles a cicada or butterfly and is slightly larger, with wings as broad as a butterfly's, beautiful in color, and delicious to eat
异人
《 酉阳杂俎》载唐朝大臣郑云达少时，得一剑，鳞铗星镡，有时而吼。常在庄居，晴日藉膝玩之。忽有一人，从庭树飘然而下，衣朱紫，虬发，露剑而立，黑气周身，状如重雾。郑素有胆 气，佯若不见。其人因言：“我上界人，知公有异剑，愿借一观。”郑谓曰：“此凡铁耳，不堪君玩。上界岂藉此乎？”其人求之不已。郑伺便良久，疾起斫之，不中，忽坠黑气着地，数日方散。
The Shifting Sands of the Tomb Organization
“崖墓”防盗效果显著，普通的土丘墓也不是没有办法防盗。常见的是“深挖洞”，将墓穴挖在深处，如秦汉墓穴都设于十几米深的地下。记述中原、北方地区丧葬制度的 《大汉原陵秘葬经》称，“立冢安坟，须籍来山去水，择地斩草，冢穴高深。”同时再置坚固的石椁，防盗的效果更好。棺椁以木质为多，石质棺椁安全性肯定要优 于木质棺椁。盗墓者常用盗墓工具斧、凿，要想很快盗开棺椁，应该更费周折。 在这些反盗墓常规措施之外，土丘
The Self-Propelling Stone of Ancient Tomb Mechanisms
In imperial tombs, anti-theft designs are rigorous, especially in the rear chamber (where the Xuan Palace is located). Along the long tomb passage dedicated to the movement of the coffin, there are generally at least three stone doors from the entrance to the underground palace, and up to seven in some cases. Each door has mechanisms, weighing several tons to dozens of tons, making them as solid as a fortress. The outermost layer is commonly known as the "Vajra Wall," and its location is quite concealed, making it difficult to find without insider knowledge. The first imperial tomb excavated after 1949 was the "Dingling" of Emperor Shenzong of Ming, Zhu Yijun. This is also the only imperial tomb actively excavated by archaeologists to date. On May 19, 1956, archaeologists dug the first
The Poison of the Tomb's Mechanisms
"Whether the 'hidden fire' was caused by ancients intentionally placing some unknown substance in the tomb cannot be directly proven by archaeological discoveries at present, but it is certain that toxic substances were placed in the tomb. The methods used by ancients to counter tomb robbing were diverse. Tombs such as fake mounds, cliff tombs, quicksand tombs, and fire pit tombs had a relatively high success rate in preventing robbery, but they also had problems, namely that the design was too complex, which ordinary families could hardly achieve. However, there is a simpler method—placing toxic substances inside the tomb to form a poisonous tomb; or applying special substances to the corpse to create corpse poison. Tomb robbers who rashly enter such poisonous tombs would die from poisoning, and even the light cases would become disabled, suffering so-called retribution."
Ancient Tomb Mechanisms: Hidden Fire
在古籍中有相关的记载 “既发傅太后冢，崩压杀数百人；开丁姬椁户，火出炎四五丈，吏卒以水沃灭乃得入，烧燔椁中器物。”（《汉书·外戚传》卷97） “盗发白茅冢，棺内大吼如雷，野雉悉雊。穿内火起，飞焰赫然，盗被烧死。”（《酉阳杂俎·尸穸》引侯白《旌异记》） “张浮休云：盗夜发咸阳原上古墓，有火光出，用剑击之，铿然以坠，视之，白玉帘也。”（《邵氏闻见后录》卷27） “（焦四盗墓）及掘至丈余，陡闻崩裂声，自
古墓机关之悬剑
墓穴中置放杀人兵器，除了“机弩”，还有“悬剑”，反盗墓原理差不多。被盗的名人墓中，唐朝风水大师袁天罡的墓里即有“悬剑”。 袁天罡据闻墓发现于民国年间，当年北京媒体曾有报道，并被考古学家卫聚贤作为案例写进《中国考古学史》。袁墓位于彰德城西北三十五里东灰营村，当时共发现两座古墓，除了袁天罡墓，另外一座是明朝赵简王墓。袁墓在该村后岗岭最高处，周约五十九尺，墓垣以砖砌成。内为清水一池，池深无底，池水中有锋
Curiosities & Strange TalesThe Crossbow Mechanism in Ancient Tombs
自古防盗墓采用会采用一些机关，一些机关的设计直到现今也还让人拍案叫绝。这些机关术最大的特点是在当时的生产环境下，技术与工艺大多很落后，所以机关大多用材粗糙，但设计却极为精妙。 如使用连弩，弩主要出现于春秋时期，能控制射击的弩机已是比较灵巧的机械装置，类似于现代的枪。弩同弓的发射原理是相同的，但比弓箭射得远，因为它是用机关来控制的，所以杀伤力强，并克服了拉弓时体力受限制而不能持久的弱点。 弓弩的实战
相马口诀
古籍中列名可考的养马、相马、疗马经典著作就有32种，百余卷之多。遗憾的是，这些由先贤们积累总结的宝贵经验，包括最著名的《伯乐相马经》等大部分都早已失传。现仅将存世最古老的《司牧安骥集》所传《宝金篇》（明代改编更名为<宝金歌>）原文照录如下： 三十二相眼为先， 次观头面要方圆。 相马不看先代本，一似愚人信口传。眼似悬铃紫色浸，睛如撒豆要分明。 白缕贯睛行五百，瞳生五彩寿多龄。鼻纹有字须长寿，如火如公
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