After all, few things can match the thrilling sense of fascination we get from seeing the streets and buildings we\u2019re familiar with portrayed in a mysterious light.<\/span><\/p>\n So, here are 8 <\/span>Vietnamese supernatural beliefs<\/b> that\u2019ll keep you awake at night.<\/p>\n Perhaps you are familiar with the <\/span>\u201cfinger lift challenge\u201d<\/b> that was popularized in the West by many YouTubers back in 2017. Here, one person sits down on a chair, while 4-6 others stand around him\/her, performing a ritual by putting their hands above his or her head. After the act, the standing group is able to lift the sitting person just by using one finger each.<\/span><\/p>\n But here is what you probably didn\u2019t know: long before becoming an Internet trend, this little game had been played by Vietnamese children for generations, though the ritual we had was . . . a lot grimmer.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of sitting on a chair, the person being carried must lie down – sometimes with a white towel covering his or her face. 7 others would surround him or her and put their index fingers under his or her head, shoulders, hips, and ankles. The person standing at the head would then ask the person to his or her right: \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d to which the other would reply, <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m pallbearing.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n The process would be repeated until everyone had been asked, and answered the same question. Then, at the count of three, the group of 7 would then be able to lift the lying person on their fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n Many people believe that by covering the carried person\u2019s face and saying they are pallbearing, the participants could <\/span>trick wandering ghosts into thinking they were carrying a dead person to the grave<\/b>. Thus, the ghosts would flock over to lend a helping hand, making the lifting possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Some also warn that this is an extremely dangerous game to play, as the ghosts might refuse to leave afterward and follow the participants, causing them misfortune or sapping away at their life force \u2013 in turn shortening their lifespan.<\/span><\/p>\n But of course, others have looked at the phenomenon from a more scientific angle, explaining that the ritual \u2013 whatever it might be \u2013 is simply a signal for everyone to act simultaneously. This way, the weight of the carried person is distributed evenly and each carrier only has to support 8-10KG on their fingers \u2013 the equivalent of carrying a heavy grocery bag. <\/span> Another spooky game that Vietnamese children still play from time to time even to this day is <\/span>ma lon<\/b><\/em> (the ghost of the empty can), where they perform a ritual to supposedly summon a ghost to possess an empty can.<\/span><\/p>\n Over the years, there have been many variations of the ritual, but at its core, it involves lighting incense, candles, and a cigarette next to an empty can in a dark, secluded place, ideally a cemetery or the site of a fatal road accident. If performed properly, the cigarette will flare up as if someone were smoking it, and once it goes out, <\/span>the empty can will begin to move on its own and chase the participants around<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Many Vietnamese people claim that they\u2019ve played this spooky game, and some even have video recordings to prove it. Still, the skeptical insist that this is no more than a prank where one of the participants pulls the can with a string to make it move around.<\/span><\/p>\n Some believe this game can be traced back to the 1970s, when electricity was not widely available in Vietnam. Children at the time did not have the Internet or smartphones as we do today, and they\u2019d entertain themselves with makeshift football games using an empty can after dusk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps, as they came home with bruised ankles, they made up stories of being chased by a ghost-possessed can to add a level of mystery to things. Again, it’s up to you to decide what to believe.<\/span><\/p>\n T\u00f4 L\u1ecbch<\/b> is the name of a not-very-clean river weaving through Hanoi that makes locals wince every time they have to pass through the area, but it is also known for an supernatural story: <\/span>the curse of the T\u00f4 L\u1ecbch River<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Back in September 2001, while dredging a section of the river of mud and trash, a construction team uncovered several wooden piles arranged in a strange formation, including ceramic relics, metal utensils, and even bones from human skeletons. The peculiar occurrence made headlines on several respected newspapers at the time, but eventually died down.<\/span><\/p>\n Several years later, in 2007, the issue was brought to the surface again when Mr. Nguy\u1ec5n H\u00f9ng C\u01b0\u1eddng, the leader of the construction team, wrote a series of articles retelling the many misfortunes that had befallen him and others who were related to the project since the incident.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Mr. C\u01b0\u1eddng, shortly after excavating the site, several of his construction workers started <\/span>experiencing nightmares in which they were haunted by ghosts<\/b>, as well as health issues such as <\/span>epileptic seizures<\/b>. Mysterious accidents also happened to their families.<\/span><\/p>\n The articles were published on <\/span>B\u1ea3o V\u1ec7 Ph\u00e1p Lu\u1eadt<\/em><\/strong>, a newspaper operating under the Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam, and sparked a lot of public unrest. People were saying that the formation had been set up by Cao Bi\u1ec1n, a Chinese general occupying Vietnam in the 9th century, with many living sacrifices.\u00a0 By disturbing it, the construction team unleashed evil spirits that led to the unfortunate incidents<\/span><\/p>\n However, further investigations proved that many of the claims made by the articles were wrong. For instance, Mr. C\u01b0\u1eddng said he had invited Monk Th\u00edch Vi\u00ean Th\u00e0nh, a respected figure of Vietnam\u2019s Buddhist Sangha monastic order, to perform a ritual to lift the curse, but the attempt was unsuccessful and the monk died shortly after. <\/span> Mr. C\u01b0\u1eddng\u2019s articles were then dismissed as \u201cbaseless\u201d and removed, and <\/span>B\u1ea3o V\u1ec7 Ph\u00e1p Lu\u1eadt <\/span><\/em>Newspaper<\/span> was fined VND20,000,000 (~USD860)<\/strong> for spreading false information. Still, the existence of a mysterious formation underneath the T\u00f4 L\u1ecbch River has spawned many rumors and even become the inspiration for fiction stories written by horror enthusiasts.<\/span><\/p>\n Occupying a large section of northern Hanoi, the West Lake offers plenty of fresh air and is home to many bars and cafes, making it a popular hangout spot for Hanoians. However, underneath its serene surface is a <\/span>massive graveyard<\/b> that has given birth to countless legends.<\/span><\/p>\n Scholars agree that in ancient times, most of the West Lake today used to be a vast batch of land where generations of people lived, and as they lived out their lives, they were buried close to home as was the custom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Over the centuries, the area became home to thousands of graves that have now been submerged as the lake expanded. In fact, some graves built on high ground are still visible above the water surface even to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n Naturally, with the existence of the graveyard comes ghostly stories. Some elders still recall that back in the 1970s, residents around the area started a trend of diving into the lake to retrieve wood from the graveyard\u2019s coffins to sell for money. However, all who did so, or who bought furniture made from the coffin wood, soon encountered misfortunes attributed to retributions of the dead.<\/span><\/p>\n Many carpenters reportedly went mad<\/b> while applying varnish to these pieces of wood to make them look new, as they witnessed human silhouettes forming on the varnish layers. Meanwhile, <\/span>some of the best divers inexplicably drowned<\/b> while going out for a casual swim in shallow waters, their bodies only found days after the accident. Locals also say it is not uncommon to <\/span>fish up human bones and even skulls<\/b> while fishing in the lake.<\/span><\/p>\n Now, we can\u2019t verify if the tales are true or not, but the presence of a giant graveyard underneath the West Lake is an undisputed fact. So, the next time you go out for a late-night stroll around the lake, remember that you are meters away from thousands of dead bodies. Do you feel a chill up your spine now?<\/span><\/p>\n The term <\/span>ma da<\/b><\/em> might not ring a bell to the younger generation, but most millennials have probably heard our grandparents tell stories of these vengeful water spirits.<\/span><\/p>\n As the stories go, <\/span>ma da<\/span><\/em> are the <\/span>spirits of drowned victims<\/b> that appear as <\/span>bloated corpses with weed tangled in their hair<\/b>. <\/span>They <\/span>are usually described as having a childlike appearance \u2013 perhaps because victims of water-related accidents in ancient Vietnam were often children.<\/span><\/p>\n Due to the untimely and painful nature of their deaths, <\/span>ma da<\/span><\/em> are unable to find peace, and the only way they can escape their torment and be reincarnated is to find another to take their place. As such, they lurk underwater to prey upon unsuspecting victims. It is also said that it\u2019s very hard to retrieve the body of someone taken by a <\/span>ma da<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Yes, these are most likely just stories that adults make up to warn children not to venture near lakes and rivers unsupervised, but it is true that <\/span>deaths by drowning are not uncommon<\/span><\/a> in Vietnam, even in big cities such as Hanoi or Saigon. In fact, if you walk along the bank of the Red River in Hanoi, you might very well come across monks and shamans hired by someone to perform rituals to find their drowned relatives.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n1. The pallbearing ritual game \u2013 a supernatural phenomenon or just plain physics?<\/h3>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/pallbearing-1.png\")
\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit: <\/span>horrorandhalloween<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/64.media.tumblr.com\/0355c745976cb9a3f249c609ddc39358\/tumblr_pwuqsnLUNJ1uutnkko1_500.png\")
\n<\/span>The \u201cfinger lift\u201d challenge that was very popular among YouTubers in 2017<\/span>
\n<\/span>Video credit: <\/span>Wassabi<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Vietnamese students playing the \u201cpallbearing\u201d game<\/span>
\n<\/span>Video credit: <\/span>B\u00f9a Th\u00e1i Kumanthong 0916927376<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/i>Video credit: <\/span>Winning X-Men<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Still, not everyone is convinced. At the end of the day, we\u2019ll leave it to you to decide whether this is something paranormal at work, or just a physics trick.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n2. The ghost of the empty can \u2013 a spooky children\u2019s game<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span><\/i>Image credit: <\/span>Ku Khoa Vlog<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/i>A recorded video of a can used in this ritual seemingly moving on its own<\/span>
\n<\/span>Video credit: <\/span>Ku Khoa Vlog<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n3. The curse of the T\u00f4 L\u1ecbch River<\/h3>\n
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\nHuman bones and relics found in the T\u00f4 L\u1ecbch River<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>Ti\u1ec1n Phong<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>A newspaper article about the supposed curse<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>S\u0103n M\u1ed9<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Professor Tr\u1ea7n Qu\u1ed1c V\u01b0\u1ee3ng, a well-known historian, also met an untimely demise after examining the relics found in the river. But according to the deceased\u2019s relatives, Monk Th\u00edch Vi\u00ean Th\u00e0nh was never present at the site of the excavation, while Professor Tr\u1ea7n Qu\u1ed1c V\u01b0\u1ee3ng died after several months battling cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n4. The graveyard under the West Lake \u2013 home to thousands of submerged graves<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>(Photo for illustrative purposes only)<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>We are proud to say we’re Welsh<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Some of the graves are still visible above the water surface today<\/span>
\n<\/span>Image credit: <\/span>An Ninh Th\u1ee7 \u0110\u00f4<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n5. Ma da \u2013 evil spirits of the drowned<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>Image credit:<\/span><\/i> Supernatural Wiki<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n
\n6. The hat-wearing dog \u2013 the embodiment of a demon<\/h3>\n
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