My late father passed away at the age of 78. He was living with me then. After a short illness, he died. The story I’m about to write is an extremely difficult one to relate. Whether I succeed to complete this story or otherwise is yet unknown.
Ernest Hemingway I certainly am not. Anyway I shall try my utmost best.
This is because, this is a tale worth writing and reading about. For if this story is not penned by me, who else is going to do it anyway. Except for my brothers, my wife and immediate family, no one else, maybe even my own children, know of even heard about what I am about to expound.
After the ceremonial burial was conducted, my father’s remains and ashes were laid to rest in the Petaling Jaya Buddhist temple.
Although some 22 years have since elapsed, I still remember vividly the morning my brother and I hired a special launch, and headed towards the Mallacca Straits.
You see, we being Buddhist believe our cremated remains have to be thrown into the open sea. The spirit will then be free to roam the world over. Whether you believe it or not, I’m not sure.
If you think throwing my father’s ashes into the wide open sea completed our filial task to my late father, you are sadly mistaken.
It must be made know here that my father died without leaving and message to anyone. None of us, my mother, sister or brothers had the opportunity to speak to him before he died.
The Chinese believed a spirit that leaves this world in such a condition will be a restless spirit. Believe it or not, continue reading.
Within a week after his death, we surprisingly received a personal visit from the medium or “tang-ki” of one well known Chinese temple, of which my elder sibling was a Treasurer, a request was made by my late father to speak to us family members.
My father’s consistent requests, and although the medium adamantly rejected it vehemently, and yet my father still wanted his wish fulfilled.
According to the medium, no dead person’s soul is ever allowed through the temple to liaise with the living. A temple is meant for prayers. Nor such request have even been permitted before.
My father, being a stubborn person when he was alive, made his request persistently.
Finally, as the story unfolds, the temple authorities finally agreed to my dad request for the first time of the temple history, a dead spirit, which passed away hardly a week ago was about to meet his family members!
Believe it or not?
Read on, if you wish to know how the story unfolds.
A date was then selected for our meeting. Seven o’clock one evening was chosen. Medium authorities reminded us, except close members and siblings non was allowed to witness this “bizarre event”.
My mother, being frail and sick was not to partake in it.
On the evening scheduled, at exactly 7:00 pm, the evening was exceptionally quiet. I remembered clearly. Those not involved, outsiders especially were asked not to be around the temple that night.
For its believed, so said the temple authorities, those possessing bad luck (or low luck) would be smitten by evil luck or health.
After conducting the burning or candles and incense papers and with the whipping of his long special whip which stretched from the outside of the temple compound as if to suggest that permission have now been given for by father’s spirit to enter the temple, the medium then went in a frantic spasm of trance, a frightening eerie shrill filled the cool evening air.
Like a sick person wailing in extreme pain, my father’s spirit had indeed come.
My entire family were in utmost shock, trembling over. The medium, was at this time wailing loudly, with mucus flowing down his nose, his eyes filled with tears.
I should inform one and all that prior to this incident, we were told none who witness the incidents will be allowed to CRY under no circumstances, as it is believed the spirit will then be able to find its way back home from whence it came.
Can anyone undergoing his or her mourning for someone whom he dearly loved refrain from crying in such a circumstances?
To cut this long story short, what was amazing and yet shocking was the medium now spoke in the likeness of my late father before his death.
To relate the rest of this unusual tale would take too long a time.
Therefore, I shall not proceed further. Maybe I might contemplate to finish this story some other time.
If you should question the authenticity of this tale, the living members of my family would be able to verify what I’m relating now.
This tale is unique. It has taken me a long while to consider whether I should put it into words.
A I said, I always asked myself “Would anyone believe what I’m saying?”
For your information, the medium is still alive and kicking today. So are my siblings and wife. They can verity the authenticity of this story happening. Anyway, they stand to get nothing by me telling you a lie.
As I mentioned, I am not a writer out to create a sensation. To relate what has truly happened, is my wish. That’s all.
Message from the son
I remembered that event happening. I was only 10 years old back then. I have never met the medium nor seen him before.
And yet, when he was in the trance, the way he spoke, his voice tonality, his movement…everything resembled my late grandfather.
Unless the medium is a great impersonator and has been studying my grandfather for years, until today I could not explain how he could mimic my grandfather.
I know what my dad wrote did happened…because I was there myself.
‘Will Yap
Although I was only 5 at the time of this event, I remember many details of this night. I remember the yellow string which ran from the kitchen to the front door, and we were asked to stand behind the string, on the left side of the house. I remember the medium (tangki) on the other side, shivering and shaking, going into a trance. I recall him having one foot on the table. Then he collapsed on the table. After a while, when our shock has subsided, we crossed the string and went to the medium. As my father said, he immediately had mucus running from his nose. And when he spoke, it was very raspy. My grandfather had a gaping hole in his throat (a result of his disease). I don’t remember much of what he said, he was mostly talking to the adults, and us young ones were trying not to cry because we were warned not to, but I remember he saying why aren’t the kids greeting him. It is our custom to call out ‘Ah Kong’ when we see our grandfather.
So, these are the things I remember very clearly despite being 5. How believable this story is, no one knows. I was there too, and this was my experience.
I remember how hard I tried holding on to my tears that night. But hearing my Ah Kong talking to us, there was no way I can stop crying. My 3rd uncle and myself turned away, crying secretly, silently.
The story sounds bizarre? I was there too.
I remember the day my father-in law died. That morning, as usual, before I left for work, I dropped by in his room to see him since he was bedridden and almost in coma. I rub his chest and called him many times,Pa,Pa, open your eyes,open your eyes, I think he can hear me, I saw his tear flowing down from his eyes, then suddenly, he took a very big breath, and stop, I never saw a person pass away before, I quickly called up my husband (cikgu Yap) who was bringing a cup of water to feed him, he make no movement when he put the water in his month, then we realize that he already passed away.
At the temple, he medium (tangki) who spoke like my late father-in law, believe it or not, he even mentioned that I was the last person to see him go, of all the other children who visited daily. He knew that I was the only one at his bedside when took his last breath of his life.
Mrs Cikgu Yap
Ya, still remember slightly, my mum, me n my sis were there 2,,,it was at nite,,,late evening if i’m not mistaken close to 8-9pm,,,silence broke through the place when Ah Kong’s spirit came thru the medium,,,,every1 just kept quiet n numb,,,,as all were not use to the environment when they knew his spirit arrived,,,there was feeling of sadness as they felt his presence was really there,,,reckon he knew each n every1 of his children n also granchildren were there,,,as they say those have passed away will no longer know their relatives,,,whether to believe or not…anyway all of us still miss his passing and pray for him to be reborn into agood Buddhist family,,,many memories still lingers on!!!!