Yingze Park · The character “女” appearing in the sky

During that year’s lantern festival, some said the character for “woman” appeared in the sky, followed by a massive stampede on the Seven-Arch Bridge.

Rumor had it that it was “the heavens selecting palace maids.” After the incident, the older generation would always warn the young: do not crowd into places with many people, especially where lights are shining at night.

To this day, every year on that date, the lights on the Seven-Arch Bridge are always turned off half an hour earlier than elsewhere; no one has ever explained why.

Folklore / Taiyuan · China / September 1991