Strange Encounters

Into the Unknown

Andrew W.K. Yip

Copyright : 2021 Andrew W.K.Yip

ISBN : 978-981-18-1424-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher,
ServiceWorld Centre.
 Contents

About the Author 2

Other publications by Author 3

Foreword 4

Chapter One – Kublai Khan 5 - 8

Chapter Two – Yock Eng Chinese School 9 - 12

Chapter three – Kampong Bugis Childhood Years 13 – 27

Chapter Four – A devilish intruder 28 – 35

Chapter Five – Chinatown after dark 36 – 40

Chapter Six – For whom the anklet bells ring 41 – 45

Epilogue 46

1
 About the Author
The Poet is a psychologist and educationist. He was educated in Edinburgh, Malaysia,
Singapore and in Pennsylvania, USA. Holder of a M.Ed., Dip. Ed-D in Education and Advanced
Psychology and Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree, he held various top academic and
professional appointments. He has worked as a psychologist in a Scottish clinic and headed
the guidance and counselling departments in the Ministry of Education and the Public
Relations departments in the Police and the Singapore Armed Forces , He was also
Singapore’s Director of Planning, Director of Nanyang University and the American College
and Executive Vice-President of the ISS International Schools. In partnership with the Uni-
versity of Humberside, now Lincoln University, he founded the IBMEC College.

Andrew W.K. Yip began to write at an early age. In the 1950s, he joined the Poetry Circle in
Singapore and immersed in Anglo-American modernist poetry, and writing poetry in both
English and Chinese. His poetic corpus is nourished by the belief that poetry constitutes “a
quiet motivating force in the modern age”. In 1964, he travelled to the USA and UK on a
UNESCO Fellowship where he became immersed in psychological studies, psychotherapy
and guidance techniques. He returned to Singapore to launch a guidance movement for
Singapore schools. Within a month, he introduced psychological testing and launched the
Vocational Guidance Bulletin to disseminate guidance information to Singapore schools. He
remained as its Editor for several years until he was transferred to Singapore Armed Forces
as Head of the Education and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of the Interior and
Defence. There, he wrote the Code of Conduct for the Armed Forces, and lyrics for military
songs. While serving in military service, he launched the National Pioneer, a monthly bulletin
for distribution to all national servicemen in the armed forces. Today, the Pioneer, the new
name of the publication, is still the main newspaper for all military personnel in Singapore.
Yip stopped writing when he joined the private sector as a housing developer, but
resumed writing poetry and books in English and Chinese in the 1980s under various
pen-names, including “Andre W. Keye”, and “Zhou Tian, “ after he started work in China’s
Translation Bureau in Guangdong. Son of a world famous photographer, Yip Cheong-Fun,
who was elected by New York as the ‘Outstanding Photographer of the Century’ in 1980, he
has written many poems to depict the artistic images created by his late father, both in
Chinese and English. An anthology of some of his poems, entitled ‘A poetic vision - the
photography of Yip Cheong-Fun’, was published by ServiceWorld Centre and distributed
overseas.

2
Other Publications by Author

Chinatown - Different Exposures

Kreta Ayer - Chinatown’s Hidden Scars
A Poetic Vision - The Photography of Yip Cheong Fun
The Blue Triangle
The Veil of Love and Terror
The Real Estate Man
Chinatown in Pictures
Educational institutions in Singapore
Vocational Guidance Bulletin
Report of the Singapore Committee on developing social policy
in conditions of rapid change and the role of social welfare, to
the XVth International Conference, the Hague, Netherlands,
August, 1972.

Online sites:
http://www.facebook.com/andrew.8
http://SingaporePhotoPoetry.blogspot.com
http://Leaves-of-Life.blogspot.com
http://SingaporeKampong.blogspot.com
http://www.ServiceWorld.com.sg
http://www.YipCheongFun.com
3
 FOREWORD
The stories of strange encounters in this publication are unique
as they revolve around one living witness who revealed events
that actually happened to her over a long period of time. Those
of us who are acquainted with parapsychology know full well
that some of us possess the acumen to sense a presence nearby.
Others can have extra -sensory or even psycho -kinetic abilities.
The book gives an intimate and personal account of such
paranormal experiences, and is important because these accounts
and events come from someone who is mature and is a business
woman.

This book gives a glimpse of the changing landscapes and

lifestyles of the Kallang scene in Singapore. Both photography
and story-telling are powerful art forms to communicate
emotions and ideas. Both use imagination to connect our
conscious mind with our sub -conscious, allowing us to explore
our inner self and the changes in us and around us, propelling us
to turn our minds to explore the unkno wn and mysterious. The
Author made a good selection of his father’s photographic
collection to create feelings or mood, and to reveal the rich
heritage of Singapore’s social history in a dramatic way.

The photographer, Yip Cheong -Fun was a recipient of the

covetous Cultural Medallion in 1984 and named by the prestigious
Photographic Society of New York as the “Outstanding
Photographer of the Century” in 1980.

From time immemorial, intellectuals all over the world have been
searching for evidence or signs of psychic phenomena or
paranormal experience. It is doubtful that a cold intellectual mind
can ever find wisdom, nor will it attain spiritual power to explore
the spiritual world, without special psychic gifts. In the study of
para-psychology, Mankind still fail to find conclusive evidence of
ghosts and spirits. Para-psychology is the study of the ability of the mind
to perform psychic acts without any known physical energy acting as the
carrier of the information or force. In these days and age, there are skeptics
who still scoffed at para-psychology as a science, but then, such skeptics
cannot sweep away the numerous examples and evidence that exist.

4
 Chapter One—Kublai Khan

Kublai Khan

忽必烈

Three Chinese Words “忽必烈 mean little to most people

in Singapore. But it means a lot to Li Ping, a retired business
woman. In English, the three Chinese characters refer to
“Kublai Khan”, a Yuan Emperor in China whose conquests
and exploits stretched over various countries in the whole
of Asia, including his half-hearted attempts to subdue Japan
in 1260 and 1270.
Li Ping, now 77, related a strange encounter at night in the
Thomson Road area in Singapore. It’s a paranormal
experience; not a matter of coincidence. It was fifty five
years ago when it happened.

5
It was a dark evening. Li Ping remembered riding pillion on a
motor-bike with a male companion. She loved the excitement of
riding on a bike. At that time, it was the Golden Age of motorcycles
for Singapore. British bikes – BSA, Triumph, AJS, Matchless, Norton,
Velocette – had invaded roads and race tracks, previously dominated
by Harley-Davidson and Indian. Her male companion recently bought
a new bike. He bought the two wheeler with his own money. He
often blazed trails in the open land near the Thomson area.
After riding along Thomson Road, he turned into Andrew Road to
show Li Ping a house which people told him that it was haunted.

“A haunted house in Singapore – this seems incredible,” she said.

Her companion just laughed and turned the bike into Thomson Road
again. He rode slowly along the long stretch of road, and occasionally,
he stopped by the roadside to clean the bike or polish it. The
motor-cycle then turned into Lornie Road and the Sime Road area.
“Nearby is the Bukit Brown Cemetery,” he stopped awhile to tell the
young girl who just smiled in reply.

6
After riding for another five minutes, he rode into a small path and
stopped near an open space surrounded by trees. There the riders
dismounted. The male companion wiped the dew off with a rag.
While Li Peng looked around, he tickled the carb and mounted the
bike. Using the compression release, he kicked the piston through
until it was on compression stroke and kicked it without the
compression release, maybe once, maybe more, until it fired. The
exhaust was crisp, sharp with a bark as he cracked the throttle. Then
everything was quiet as the engine of the bike was turned off.

For a few minutes, Li Ping became mesmerized by the silence that

enveloped the place. The moon was still high and they were in the
shadow amidst the trees and shrubs. There was no sound, no stir. Li
Ping felt some nervousness, but she was not afraid to investigate her
surroundings. Her companion stood near her as the moon sank lower
and some light crept up the trees and shrubs which appeared to be
motionless. She watched breathlessly for the face of her companion,
her own still in the shadows, as she sensed a presence. At that
moment, she suddenly noticed something that looked like a tomb
about 10 feet away under a tall dark tree. It was a stone tablet with
some Chinese writings on it. She moved closer to the object and
observed the words, “Kublai Khan” in Chinese “忽必烈”,carved in
stone , and the three Chinese letters painted in blood red. She was
petrified as she recognized the name, and she was amazed. She
studied the person’s exploits in her History lessons. It was at this
point that the silence of the night was broken by some “hoo-hoo-
hooooo" sounds from the top of one of the trees. She felt a sense of
thrill. Her eyes were wide open, fixed, staring as she looked up and
noticed an owl on top of one of the branches of the tree near what
she believed to be a tombstone. She remained silent and spoke
quietly to her companion, “Let’s go home.”

7
She was not sure what prompted this decision to leave the place
immediately. Perhaps, she felt a sense of awe, because from young,
she admired the heroic exploits of “忽必烈”. Perhaps, she did feel a
presence nearby. It was the type of consciousness felt by
mountaineers climbing at altitudes above 6000 meters when they
are prone to sensations or altered consciousness that someone is
there beside you or behind you.
This is a true story as told by an extraordinary person and she is a
living witness. It is possible that what Li Ping saw could be just a
Singapore made tablet for worshipping. But the owl was real, and
the sensation of a presence nearby was real. Etched in her memory
were the sounds hooted by the owl. So, just imagine the pulsating
feelings that have an impact on any young person, in pitched dark
and in the still of the night.

Note:
Owls do exist in Singapore,
though they are rarely
found. Picture on the left
shows a small owl found
at a car park of Pasir Ris,
Singapore on 28th April,
2021 as published in the
Shin Ming Daily Press on
30th April, 2021.

8
 Picture of Yock Eng School in 1950

To a young girl like Li Ping, it was natural for her to

reflect on York Eng Chinese School where she took
History lessons about China. Her mind turned to the
pages of History which recorded the heroic exploits of
Kublai Khan, who became the first Yuan Emperor to
unify the whole of China and spread the country’s
influence all over Asia. Details of the mighty warrior’s
expeditions to Japan, Java and parts of the Malay
Archipelago also came to her mind.

9
Li Ping’s reflections on Yock Eng Chinese School itself were vivid,
as it marked a turning point in her life. The School was originally
established by the Hainanese community leaders at Prinsep Street in
1910; so naturally this was a choice school for her according to the
wishes of her Hainanese parents. But Li Ping wanted to study
English and enrol in an English Medium School. A young girl from
the neighborhood and Li Ping planned for the enrolment. Just weeks
before that, the young girl suddenly died of a stroke.

Though she did not say much, Li Ping must have experienced some
trauma when her young friend died. A young child does not
understand death as permanent, universal and inevitable. She may
be very curious about the physical process of death and what really
happens after a person dies. She will have difficulty understanding
the concept of death and sometimes view death as temporary or
reversible. Still, Li Ping saw the death of a friend as separation or
abandonment. She had grieved.

10
 Going safely home

After the death of her young friend, Li Ping was brought by

her parents to attend Yock Eng School which still stands
today as a beacon of learning at Tanjong Katong Road. It was
a proud day for the family when they joined the queues at
the entrance. It was raining. A young teacher with an
umbrella greeted everyone in Mandarin, and started
processing the applications. Most of the children gathered
there were found to be over-aged. Li Ping was over-aged too,
but nevertheless she was admitted to the School. Later in the
day, the students were led to the classrooms within a building.
The school premises which had been rebuilt, was used by the
Japanese during the Japanese Occupation as a military police
headquarters or Kempetei for interrogation and torture of
young Chinese men in the Sook Ching Exercise aimed at
eliminating Anti-Japanese elements.

11
The first School assembly was a memorable experience.
Everywhere, there were students. A steady stream of students
poured into the school field. Row by row they lined up, waiting
for the Principal to appear. A few stern words about school
rules were heard over the loudspeakers. To Li Ping, it was like a
dream come through. She breathed deeply as she inhaled the
fresh air, and stared in wonder and bewilderment at the azure
sky. The School field shone out as a place of hope. For a
moment, Li Ping was in deep thought. She quickly looked up,
when the idle school chatters was replaced by a hush. The
Principal had appeared. In silence, everyone was waiting for
something to happen. The music started, and she joined the
chorus of voices singing the National Anthem. As the singing
and later recitation of pledges continued, She just could not
suppress the images that swarmed her mind. Images of past,
present and future seemed to dance around her eyes in a
haphazard manner, making her slightly confused and dazed.
Only the present seemed real, as she gazed at the beautiful
national flag hung on top of a tall flagpole. Then she heard the
Principal’s voice. Everyone listened attentively to his words of
encouragement.

From this simple beginning, Li Ping learnt to rely on herself to

help support her family, especially after her father retired as a
worker of the Kallang Gas Works. She developed various skills,
and learnt to record meticulously details of her life on paper.
This places her in good stead in various types of business she
managed in her adult years.
12
Chapter Three - Kampong Bugis
Childhood years

火城神跡

Kallang Gas work and vicinity 1950

Li Ping’s childhood years are still fresh in her memories.

Her father worked as a fitter in the Kallang Gas Works,
while her mother was a housewife. She grew up with six
siblings – five brothers and a sister. She was in the middle,
with three younger brothers. The family lived in a house
along the old Kampong Bugis Road, provided to employees
of the Gas Work as a workers’ quarters.
13
 Today, Bugis Street is a tourist attraction in Singapore, served by the
nearby Bugis MRT Station..
A road named "Kampong Bugis" is located off Kallang Road. Li
Ping’s early childhood days centered around the Kallang Gas work or
Kampong Bugis and the neighborhood areas, particularly Nam Lock
Street and Sin Koh Street. She recalled the existence of several ship
building factories and rubber factories and other factories, and the
many strikes that occurred at that time.

These industrial buildings were found interspersed with a number of old

shop houses and apartments. The surroundings include a few vernacular
schools and religious buildings.
Li Ping grew up at Kampong Bugis Road, off Kallang Road, known
locally as “the Fire City” 火城 . Its landmark is the Kallang Gas Work
which ceased operation on 23rd March, 1998. It has a history dated
back to 1861, and is now listed as a historic site by the National
Heritage Board. 14
Kampong Bugis by the River. This area is being spruced up as a
residential estate. The focus of this site is the Kallang Gas
Work which has been listed as a historic site by the National
Heritage Board. Near the Kallang River Bank is the Kallang
River Park, a scenic area for public recreation.

Sailing Boat Race 1950s

15
 火城神跡
Kampong Bugis, “The Fire City”

Kallang Gas work and vicinity 1950

Kampong Bugis , locally known as the Fire City 火城 is a
name that conjures up several images in the minds of
Singaporeans. It definitely evokes deep emotions in some. In
the forefront is the image of the Kallang Gas Work which
still stands tall as a historic site today, and the Kallang River.
Although the Kallang Gas Work is no longer in operation,
it still stands tall with two distinctive blue steel pillars that
bring memories to this place. These steel pillars are the
gas holders that still remain of the gas work. Built in
1862, the Kallang Gas Works was Singapore’s main
supplier of gas that enabled streets to be lit after dark.

16
 The Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple 1960s.

Nearby is the the Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple. Li Ping and her

brothers used to play in the courtyard of this temple. The children
would watch in rapt attention the way the Hindu worshippers
prayed to the deities in the temple.

They were allowed to visit the temple or sit cross-legged on the

temple floor. Very often, the Hindu priests would offer the children
sweets, drinks or even food, to make them feel welcomed.

Hindu Worship
17
Li Ping also remembered playing near the River Bank. This was
also the place where her parents used to have their brisk morning
walking exercise.

Ship building yards, ice-work factories and industrial workshops

of various descriptions could also be found. Old shop houses
lined old streets like a maze. She remembered Nam Lock Street
most vividly where she used to buy things for her parents. She
remembered the funeral parlours, chicken shops, shoe repairs
stalls, air-con repair and metal workshops. The chicken shops
were most interesting. These shops placed stacks of eggs and
freshly hatched chickens along the walkway. She also recalled
the bumboats and tong-kangs along the river, and the coolies that
carried the cargoes.

Kallang Park 1955

18
A young Hindu worshipper

Like a dream

19
 Old Kampong House

Li Ping’s childhood years at Kampong Bugis were unique.

Just imagine how do you live, work and play amidst the
factory environment of the Kallang Gas Work. Yet, the girl
was healthy and well adjusted to staying in the workers’
quarters for play and study. She was quite accustomed to
spend most of her time on monotonous work at home and play
and dream in and around the Gas Works. It was fun indeed
that the children were allowed to play in the huge compound
of the Gas Works. It was fun for them interacting with the
European managers and their workers. Even for an event like
a strike, the little children were given a treat like food and
drinks normally extended to strikers. They were in no danger
during the many strikes in the vicinity. But in such a harsh
environment, Li Ping learnt to be strong, tough and
determined, an aspect of her personality evident in her adult
business life.

20
 Picture shows Li Ping standing at top left. Her young brother is standing
at extreme right. Some of these children attended the Nam Kwong
School with Li Ping.

These were the children who lived near the Li Ping’s house at
Kampong Bugis. “With them, I used to walk along Nam Lock
Street and Sin Koh Street, or play in my house compound, “ she
recalled. Sometimes, they gazed with wonder at the beautifu l “Mai
-Cha-Mui” or tea waitresses serving customers at coffee shops.

“There were many quaint looking houses with Malay roof designs,
and some old streets and lanes I knew and loved before,” she added.

She remembered too her old house which displayed a signboard

with the words “Nam Heng” 南興 on it. It was a large house with
many rooms, several bathrooms and kitchens and a lot of common
spaces. Her family occupied two rooms on the ground floor with
another family occupying another room. There was nothing
extraordinary about the house. Li Ping’s father worked as a fitter
for the Kallang Gas Works, and his whole family lived in this
house. Not spooky, nor was it haunted. As a young child, Li Ping
did not experience any supernatural or paranormal experience there.

21
 A Kampong House

After her father retired from Kallang Gas Works, the family had to
move out from Kampong Bugis. Her father picked a kampong house
at Chai Chee at around 6 ½ milestone. The house was in a remote
area. To go to the house, you need to walk a long distance from the
main road. The lanes were long and narrow and poorly lit. Li Ping
did not complain, as she loved the charm of kampong life.

For Li Ping, this was the beginning of kampong style living. Here,
she felt a sense of new freedom. There was no boundary fencing.
There was plenty of open space and cultivation area for planting
flowers or vegetables. The moment she walked out from her
kampong house, she would be in a garden setting. There was a
feeling of community living and plenty of interaction with other
kampong folks. Her brothers were now kept busy looking after
hundreds of chicken and a few pigs. Li Ping used to watch in rapt
attention the way her brothers prepared the chicken meat for food.
She would occasionally wash clothes with water from the wells. At
that time, the kampong district was not equipped with running water,
nor was there any electricity. Li Ping still recalled helping to light
up the dark interior of the kampong house with kerosene lamps.

22
It began as an ordinary evening. Everybody was at home. A
loud voice came from one of the rooms in the kampong house.
“Li Ping, bring your brother to the corner shop to buy sugar.”
“Yes, Dad” was the reply.
It was dark outside the house, but the lane leading to the
grocery shop was not in complete darkness. There were a
number of street lamps some distance away. The kids were not
afraid. They walked briskly past some houses, greeted a few
familiar faces in a neighbor’s house, and then walked on.
They walked near an attap house where some elderly men were
gambling. They were playing majong and making some noise
which broke the silence of the night. Here and there the kids
noticed lights shimmering from the window panes of some
homes. After a few minutes of walking, they found the
grocery store and completed the purchase.

Somewhere in the Wilderness

23
 A pictorial representation of the vision in the lallang bush

It was already nine thirty in the evening when Li Ping and her younger
brother started to go home. This time, they walked fast, holding hands
as they walked together. They chatted and laughed aloud, as they
walked past the attap house where gambling still went on. As they
walked on, the sounds of men playing majong became less audible.
Soon they were enveloped in the silence of the surroundings. They
heard some birds chirping from clusters of tall trees and shrubs on both
sides of the lane. There were moving shadows in the barren patches far
away, and eerie lights shimmering from the branches of trees looming
over the kids. The wind whirled in the tall lallang and shrubs, gathering
some tree leaves which flew around. Still they rushed on, measuring
each pace in silence.

Then as their paths diverged, they suddenly noticed some movements

amongst the thick foliage of shrubs and lallang. The tall Lallang grass
covered a large undergrowth area. The grass could cut your skin when
you touch them. The kids thought at first that there were some animals
hiding in the thick undergrowth of tall lallang and shrubs. They were
frightened but they did not run. They began to see some shadowy
figure, half obscured by the undergrowth.

24
“There is someone there.” Li Ping whispered to her brother.

“I saw something there too,” he replied with a trembling voice.

In dim light, they could see the human figure starting to move. They
froze in their path and just stood there perplexed. Soon they saw a
human head popping up. They were horrified when they became aware
of the presence of an old man with a long beard.

It was an old man dressed in dusty white clothes with long white hair
and beard. He sat like a stone statue motionless most of the time in the
thick undergrowth, partly obscured in the dark shadows. There was a
strong wind blowing, shaking up the tall grass and rattling the tree
branches. But the old man continued sitting there, moving his head
and arms a little. He seemed to be too tired to stand up. After making
some jerky body movements, he stood up shakily to face the children.
Clearly visible to Li Ping was an old man with long white hair and a
long beard, dressed in a long white robe like a night gown, and carrying
a black walking stick.

Both kids came to the same conclusion at once. “土地公”, they uttered
in fear. Indeed, the figure resembled the Chinese angel that guarded
every home for safety. Young minds clicked on at once. They just
stood still, spell-bound, unable to utter a sound. For several minutes
they just stood there, motionless. Then the figure seemed to have faded
away.

Someone called from the other end of the road. The children then
realized that their father was there, searching for them to escort them
home. So, they rushed home.

25
 Rushing Home
Nothing else unusual happened in the kampong house. There was
no other paranormal encounter at the house. Li Ping began to enjoy
a combination of town life and rustic living. She adored the beauty
of nature in the village setting. Birds and butterflies fluttering in
the air, the sweet smell of flowers in bloom, the alluring fruits that
hung in the branches like lanterns on display in a row – all these
dazzled her.

26
 Li Ping at her kampong house

“Just a thatched hut by the stream,

But it stays long in my lingering dream.

A kampong house that gazed upon the sea,

Obscured by blossoms and bushes under a tree.”

Li Ping shifted out of her

kampong house at Chai Chee in
her adolescent years. She
always remembered the house
with the signboard name 清河
or “clear stream”.

清河
27
Chapter Four
A devilish intruder

破地獄

“Crashing through Hell” - copyright and award - winning photo by Yip

Cheong Fun, named “Outstanding Photographer of the Century” by New
York Photographic Society in 1980. This one-shot original photo of a
funeral process has evoked numerous responses from foreign media as
regards the capture of ghostly images in the ”flames of hell”. Believe it or
not - the photograph apparently captures the image of a devilish intruder.
28
 Prayers during the Hungry Ghosts Festival

Back to Kampong Bugis

In her adolescent years, Li Ping moved out of the kampong

house to stay with her elder sister at Kampong Bugis. They rented
a two-storied house and occupied two rooms on the second floor.
What she did not know until her mature years was the rumor that
this house was haunted. Neither did she realize that she had the
rare gift of sensing spiritual presence. The stories that followed
are signs that such gifts exist. Some people believe that angels or
spirits, good or bad, can appear or fade away. They could take
human forms. They could take over your soul or body, or become
attached to you. This summarizes the simple spiritual belief of Li
Ping as the stories begin to unfold.

29
 Pray for Heaven’s blessings

For many years, Li Ping’s family was happy and blessed with
good fortune, peace and harmony. Heaven had been kind and
merciful. Most family members were Buddhists. Some were
agnostic. There was a sense of well-being and good relationships
in this closely knit family. It was a united family indeed.

Li Ping’s mother, was a strong believer in the Chinese religion.

She had an altar table at home, filled with Buddhist statues and
tablets, and she prayed daily for Heaven’s protection of her family
and children. Once in a while, she prayed at a Chinese temple.
Probably once a year, she like other old Chinese ladies, prayed and
beat the small spirits.

30
 Beating the Small Spirits 打小人

Beating the Small Spirits 打小人

In some Asian communities , people believe in the existence of good

spirits and small spirits, and believe that spirits could take a human form
or face. The religious ritual illustrated in the photo above shows how
small spirits are beaten or driven away. This ritual seems to have a
social purpose. Yes, ask for blessings from those angelic spirits 貴人
that give you help or blessings, and beat the hell out of the small men or
small spirits that may have crept into your private lives.

Without going into details, Li Ping’s family suffered much due to its
inability to cope with the evil forces that intruded into the family. Life
is like a river of no return. Like a river, it runs through a long winding
and often tortuous course, with a lot of erosion or corrosion at every
turn. Often there is interaction with other families, other lives, other
people and some strangers. Most important – do not let the small spirits
ever get near you, or creep into your private life. Don’t touch them even
with a ten foot pole.

31
A home at risk
From the day Felix, a distant relative, entered her home, Li Ping
knew something bad would happen. Bad people, small spirits –
those who don’t have your best interests at heart – can give off
some mighty weird vibes. It can be so strong that you begin to feel
uncomfortable.

When a man like Felix started courting Li Ping’s sister, nobody

could realize the damage he could do to this happy and closely knit
family. Felix was a small spirit, a devilish intruder into a good
home. My goodness! While courting the sister, he schemed to get
her money and property and to swindle her family. He managed to
get some funds from Li Ping’s mother to buy stocks and shares. He
peeped at the girls bathing and stole money from the girls. Every
time, Li Ping came to know a boyfriend, he would sabotage the
relationship, even to the extent of ringing up the boyfriend’s home.

To cut a long story short, the “intruder” was an evil spirit in

disguise. On bright daylight, he appeared to be a nice and normal
person, buying sweets for the young children in the house and
cuddling them. He spoke good English and pretended to help as a
cashier for Li Ping’s restaurant business but was caught stealing
some money from the till. Indeed, this intruder must have dazzled
Li Ping’s sister with a splendid display of charm and affability.
32
Still, her sister continued with her relationship with Felix.

“I found him quite decent when I first knew him, but ever since he started
coming to this house at Kampong Bugis, he had changed,” said Li Ping’s
sister of Felix.

From that point on, Li Ping became more aware of her own perceptive
powers to sense paranormal phenomena and experiences. She thought then
that a devilish intruder had entered her home, and the home was at risk.

She felt somewhat uncomfortable staying in the “haunted house” at Kampong

Bugis, but she was not really afraid. There was no rattling of windows at
night. Nothing unusual happened until one night when she returned home
with her boyfriend, after a cinema show.

The couple walked slowly along the road leading to Li Ping’s two-storied
house. They were chatting as they strolled along. As they approached the
house, they looked up and saw Felix at the open windows. After they entered
the house, they looked around for Felix but could not find him. Both became
extremely anxious and decided to look for him inside the house. Fifteen
minutes elapsed, they still could not find him. Then to their surprise, they
found Felix strolling towards them with Li Ping’s sister. They came back
after shopping in town.

To Li Ping, this was a paranormal encounter. She told her sister about it.
There could be no mistakes. Both Li Ping and her boyfriend had seen the face
of Felix at the open windows of the house, and about the same time, another
Felix came back with Li Ping’s sister. On hearing this, Li Ping’s sister was
shocked but she cautioned Li Ping not to mention the incident to Felix, for
fear that he might be upset or become fearful.

33
Stories about possession by spirits are common, but they might take a
different form. In Christian churches, particularly charismatic churches,
one often hears about worshippers being “slain” by the Holy Spirit. Some
of them even speak in tongues. There were also reported cases of people
possessed by evil spirits and required help from religious leaders to pray to
God for protection from such spirits and to drive them out.

Li Ping in her adult years mentioned a strange encounter near Lim Chu
Kang Estate in Singapore. It happened on the wedding day of a friend. She
was in a car with some colleagues in the evening and travelling along a
small road at the Estate towards the friend’s home. The sky was already
dark when she spotted a shadowy human figure along the roadside. He was
dressed in Chinese theatrical costume and was hopping along without legs
apparently. For the moment, Li Ping thought that it was some sort of
Chinese celebration show. Later on, when she related the encounter to the
wedding couple, they were convinced it was some sort of spirit, as there
was no celebration along the stretch of road leading to the Lim Chu Kang
Cemetery.

If you feel uncomfortable after reading this account, do remember

that not all spirits are evil, and the powers of God are supreme.
Whatever your religion, prayers can protect you against all evil forces
on earth. Here is a quotable quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson:

“Pray for my soul.

More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of:
Wherefore, let thy voice, Rise like a fountain for me night and day.”

34
 Thian Hock Keng Temple

Prayers
“Pray, Piety, Pray—that wishes with wings be lifted up;
Then love, joy and righteousness will fill the cup”

(Andrew Yip)

35
 Chapter Five

The scene— somewhere near the Street of Death, Sago Lane,

Chinatown 1967
The heavy rain pelted on the roof of a 3 storied shop house in
Chinatown. The strong winds rattled on the dirty looking window
panes. There was heavy rain outside. It was dark and cold inside
the house., but one could still see in the dimness some linen hung
on bamboo sticks near the kitchen, a washing machine, a fridge
and some tables and chairs. Amidst the din, one could hear the
sounds of motor-cars on the streets below the shop house.
36
 Sago Street 1945
It was about 11 p.m. Li Ping and her sister occupied a room on the second level
of a house as shown in the photograph above.

For six months, nothing had happened here. Somebody had warned Li Ping that
something would happen soon. Many occupiers had moved out on the seventh
month. “Things always happened on your Seventh month of stay, “ they
warned. Li Ping dismissed it as idle talks from colleagues.

“It’s rubbish, “ Li Ping often retorted.

But it was dark, and her sister was already asleep. She knew that the land lady
and some old folks already retired to sleep in the back room on the second
level. The winds were howling outside the dilapidated house.

Like all shop houses in Chinatown, there was a common staircase leading from
the ground level to the upper storeys. By this time, the door for access to the
upper floors was already bolted up.

37
It was midnight. Li Ping thought she heard a sound. She muttered to herself, “It’s
sounds eerie ! The sound of hoo-hooo keeps on and on.“

Li Ping could not sleep. In the dimness of her room lit by a kerosene lamp, she
could still gaze around the untidy room with so much of unused furniture. At this
time, the rain had stopped, and the place became silent. She closed her eyes and
tried to sleep.

Just then, she heard sounds of footsteps outside her room. The repetitious
sounds of thick high heel shoes clicking, “clocking” on a wooden floor and the
jingling of keys, were quite unmistakable. Moments later, the silence of the night
was broken by shrieking sounds, mixed with mysterious humming sounds,
sometimes loud, sometimes almost inaudible. It made her feel as though she was
surrounded by a host of spirits or ghosts.

She felt her heart pounding in her ears, and she broke out in cold sweat., Still, she
could not control herself to wake up the sister sleeping on a bed so near to hers.
She just covered herself with a blanket, but still could hear some weird sounds in
the room. She was sure the sounds could not have come from the other room on
the second level, because it was empty. Perhaps, cats prowled around the dirty
house, Li Ping thought. This could happen because the kitchen windows were
open. Under her bed cover, she could hear an almost inaudible creak of the
floorboards and the flutter of curtain or clothes which could indicate movement
close to her. She also felt that there was something lurking in the shadows. There
was noise down the corridor leading to the kitchen. This gave her the creeps.
Later, she heard the unmistakable sounds of footsteps upstairs. It sounded like
more than one person was walking back and forth. There were sounds of people
talking. The voices were low but squeaky and sometimes turned into moans and
groans and died away. About an hour later, everything became quiet in the house.

38
It didn’t end there. Next morning, as she and her sister were leaving the room,
they met the landlady. Before they could say anything, the landlady started to
complain , “What is happening last night? There were so much noise. I heard the
sounds from high heel shoes.”

“Ah Soh, we did not make any noise. We don’t wear high heel shoes. Probably,
the noise came from the people on the third level, ” the girls explained.

“But the third floor has been vacant, “ Ah Soh said quite emphatically,
gesticulating and pointing up the staircase as she talked.

“There were sounds of footsteps on the staircase and from the upper floors,”
she added. “It’s really strange. This is not the first time it happened. People
heard mysterious footsteps and noise from the upper floors and they were
empty. You know, neither myself nor the other old ladies wear wooden clogs.
We always wear slippers.”

Li Ping knew then that something strange had happened. It confirmed her belief
that what she heard was not the result of an overactive imagination. She still
remember how frightened and flushed she felt on the same night to find herself
with a darkened complexion in the mirror.

When she related the events to her friends working or staying nearby, she was
told that there were previous tenants who also faced similar ghostly encounters
on the 7th month of stay. She also noticed a wall near the main door where the
house owner pasted religious articles and charms to ward off these spirits or
ghosts. This was indeed a memorable encounter with paranormal phenomena in
Chinatown.
39
There were numerous ghost stories circulating in this spooky part of Chinatown.
The room she rented from the Landlady was probably haunted. The house itself
appeared to be very old and dilapidated. Its walkway outside the house were
cracked. Its walls showed black decay by neglect. Splotches of original paint
hinted at the house former look. Cobwebs covered the ceilings and door
corners. There was also a strange smell inside the house. Approaching the
toilets, a violent odour made its way to the nose. Pinching her nose, Li Ping
leaned over and peered inside. Crusty rags filled the tubs.

It was time to leave. Li Ping told herself. She looked at the wooden front door.
She pushed. It did not give way easily. Another forceful push was needed. The
door was covered with some yellow pieces of paper with Chinese words written
in red on them. These were paper charms to ward off ghosts and spirits

As Li Ping stood, gazing at the front of the dilapidated house, she shivered, as
though ice had replaced her spine. She remembered then all the ghost stories
she had heard, and shivered. Here she was just a few steps from the Golden
Dragon building, where the Japanese military used as a military police
headquarters or Kempetei. It was a place where Chinese men in big numbers
were taken in for interrogation and torture. Many were killed in the Sook Ching
exercise to eliminate anti-Japanese elements. Just behind the house was the
infamous Sago Lane, commonly known as the Street of Death. Here, one could
find the death houses and funeral parlours. The death houses were actually a
sort of hospice to accommodate those who were critically ill, and they were left
in the death house literally waiting to die.

Inside a death house in Chinatown

40
 Chapter Six
For whom the anklet bells ring

After quitting the rented room in Chinatown, Li Ping and her sister
moved into a room in the Aljunied HDB Estate to stay with her elder
brother and his family. Staying in a HDB apartment with so many
people close to her naturally brought a sense of security and calm. But
Li Ping still had sleepless nights.

The night was rainy and cold. One could hear the wind howling
around the building block; hear thick and heavy raindrops pummeling
the window panes. It was around 8.30 p.m. The flickering ceiling
lamp emitted a soft and comfortable light. Colorful images flashed
across the television screen as the newsreader presented the headlines
in a low murmur. She switched off the television set after the news
and was combing her hair in front of her dressing table. She was
singing as she combed. Then she changed into her night clothes. It
was about nine thirty in the evening when she sensed a presence
again. But she remained cool. Sensations like this never bothered her.
She continued singing as she dressed up.

41
 She thought it was her young nephew, as she glanced at the boy from the
corner of her eyes, and started talking to him. All she heard from the boy
was just some childish laughter. Then he started hip-hopping around. She
heard strange noises of anklet bells. Yes, she heard the sound of anklets
jingling. For 10 minutes, she heard the sound. She was calm as she glanced
at the boy and saw the anklets on his leg. She did not notice the boy’s face,
but saw him hip-hopping, dancing up and down, and jingling his ancient
anklets. All the while she felt his presence behind her.

As the sounds of the anklet bells faded into the background, Li Ping thought
that her nephew had left the room. She sat down on an empty chair at the
back of the room. There she watched television for a few minutes, feeling
quite fresh and relaxed.

After that, Li Ping went to the hall and talked to her sister and the nephew
and nieces. She still did not realize anything unusual had happened. Li Ping
then joined the others to have supper at a hawker center nearby. After
supper, Li Ping told her sister about the nephew jingling the anklet bells,
and was bewildered when told that the nephew never entered her room. Her
head was spinning when she noticed that her nephew was not wearing any
anklets. She knew the incident was a paranormal experience.

42
The next day, her sister consulted a Taoist priest about the
incident, and was told to offer something to appease the
“homeless spirit” who must have followed her from
Chinatown. The spirit, according to the priest, was quite
harmless and just wanted some food as offerings. Li Ping’s
sister was a little superstitious to do this, probably to follow
the Chinese religion. She even pasted some religious labels
on the doors and walls of her home.

Be that as it may, Li Ping remembered the encounters with a

certain degree of humility and grace.

Pious Women

43
 “思念”
But the story did not end with the fading of the anklet bells. Li Ping
seemed to be connected with this homeless spirit for many years. To
her, this was a kind of spirituality recognizing that she was connected
to some energy or being a part of it. Images of the little boy as a
homeless spirit occasionally swarmed her mind. She was not afraid as
she was quite sure the spirit was good and would bless her. Sometimes,
she wondered whether he was growing up. Whenever she became
dispirited, thinking about the boy gave her comfort. She recalled
occasions when she won some money from lotteries, just by thinking
about the boy. She even nick-named the boy as “Missing You” and
called him “思念”.

Over a decade, this spiritual connection seemed to be there, until one

day when Li Ping’s mind was swarmed by images of the boy. She
seemed to get the message that the boy would be reincarnated soon.
She told her sister about it and they decided to go to a Chinese temple
at Toa Payoh to make offerings to the spirit. Li Ping never really
embraced any religion formally; yet she made an effort to visit the
temple. The two girls bought some paper offerings. Li Ping took a pen
and wrote two Chinese characters, “思念”.Or “Missing You” on the
offerings.

44
Something weird happened two days before her temple visit. Li Ping
and her sister met a middle-age Chinese lady on the ground floor
near her house. It was a familiar and pleasant looking face, and the
lady was smiling and waving at them. Li Ping waved back.
A few days later, Li Ping and her sister left home in the afternoon.
They took a taxi and reached the temple at Toa Payoh without
problems. As the sisters walked around looking for a place to burn
the offerings, a hearse came along reversing into their path. Li Ping
stared at the hearse. To her surprise, she recognized at once the
photograph of the deceased person, as the person who waved at them
near her home just a few days ago. Unbelievable but real, they saw
this lady alive just days ago; it was shocking that she just passed
away. Li Ping quickly noted the vehicle number and wanted to buy
4D Lottery with it.

Leading the Procession

45
 Epilogue
From that day onwards, Li Ping was free of the spirit whose images
appeared in her dreams and swarmed her mind. A taoist priest
concluded that the boy spirit was reincarnated on that special day. Li
Ping and her sister were both delighted to hear this. As for the 4D
Lottery and the vehicle number, Li Ping never bought the Lottery.
She was advised by the sister not to buy the number as it would be
unlucky. The sister also opined that if she had won any money, it
would not be possible to make offerings to the deceased. Perhaps,
these were good advice from the sister, but it cost Li Ping the first
prize in the 4D draw for the day. In Li Ping’s mind, spirituality is an
important driving force in life. It may be just being connected with
others, or knowing what is good, what is bad in a spiritual way. She
realized that some of the strange encounters seem incredible. But
one may also ask whether such things can be purely coincidental, or
are the events linked in a spiritual dimension which we still cannot
understand.

Strange Stairs

46