While elected officials are frequently called upon to perform services for their constituents, independent Changhua County Councilor Chang Syue-ru (張雪如) on Thursday last week said that exorcising an evil spirit was among her political career’s most unusual.
Chang said never before in her 10 years of public service had a spirit petitioned her for justice by possessing a voter.
Last week, she met with a hairstylist surnamed Lu (盧), 45, who claimed to be possessed by a spirit in urgent need of assistance, Chang said.
Photo: Chen Kuan-pei, Taipei Times
Lu said she is a practicing spiritualist and after returning from a retreat early this month, she started having severe headaches and coldness in her spine, Chang said.
Lu had vivid nightmares of a woman in red, pleading in a foreign language that she did not understand, Chang said.
Fellow spiritualists told Lu that she was haunted by the spirit of a Vietnamese migrant worker who was murdered in Taiwan by her Thai boyfriend, the councilor said.
The spiritualists told Lu that the spirit would not leave her in peace until she is avenged, Chang said.
Lu reported the alleged murder to local police, who did not believe her and sent her away from the police station, saying her superstitions are of no concern to police, the councilor said.
Attempts to appease the spirit by establishing a spirit tablet at Changhua’s Temple of the City God had also failed, she said.
Describing her situation as despondent, Lu asked for Chang’s help, the councilor said.
During the conversation, Lu became “highly agitated” and started screaming in Vietnamese and foaming at the mouth, Chang said, adding that she was “taken aback by the incident.”
Chang said she contacted a spiritual medium of the Empyrean Fairy (jiutian xuannu, 九天玄女), and that the Taoist goddess possessed the medium and contacted the spirit, eventually sending it away.
Speaking through Lu, the spirit said it was willing to accept reincarnation, but added that it would need proper ceremonial offerings, which were presented over the weekend, Chang said.
“I am still practicing as a mortician and have gone on spiritual retreats before. Although Lu’s request appeared bizarre, I have sympathy for her,” she said.
“Although it spooked me a lot, I would rather help her out. The ceremony did not cost me anything. I think this counts as good karma,” Chang said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS