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Legend has it that the British priest who built Chaonei Church disappeared
without a trace before it was completed.
Then, another story goes, the church became the residence of a Kuomintang
officer who abandoned his wife. She became so distraught that she committed
suicide. People later claimed that, on some nights, her screams could be heard
in the corridors of the church.
These are among the spooky associated with Beijing's famous "haunted house"
- Chaonei Church at No 81 Chaonei Avenue in the Dongcheng district.
But the Beijing Patriotic Catholic Association, the owner of the building,
says it is not haunted at all.
The association has plans to renovate the historic structure, which
consists of two three-story buildings.
"We are waiting for the green light from the local relics protection
department before going through the necessary procedures," said Bi Wensheng from
the association.
The funds for the renovation will come from multiple sources, Bi said.
Records show that an American missionary constructed the building in 1910
and that it was used as a school and a church. In the 1950s, it served as the
offices of the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau.
In the 1990s, it was returned to the Beijing Patriotic Catholic Association
and has been unused ever since.
Bi said people regard the old building as a possibly haunted house.
"Because the building has been left unused for a long time and its gate is
always closed, many children from nearby schools are curious about it. They
climb over the wall to see what it is like inside," he said.
"In recent years, we have allowed people to visit the outside of the
building, and they can park their cars on the site."
But people are advised not to go inside the building because it is
dilapidated and they might get hurt, he said.
"You can see the stairs are seriously aged. There are cracks in the ceiling
and the wooden floors. The windows are also broken," Bi said.
Nonetheless, curious people try to sneak into the building at night, he
said.
Ghost-story enthusiasts were disappointed by news of the planned
renovation.
Among them was Daniel Newman, managing director of newmantours.com, which
features tours, including "ghost tours," led by English-speaking guides.
"This is the first time that I've heard the haunted house would be
renovated, and I feel very sad," Newman said.
There are many interesting ghost stories about the Chaonei church, and the
renovation would damage those legends, he said.
"I hope the original appearance of the building can remain," Newman
said.
But a passer-by at Chaonei Church surnamed Zhang, who works in a nearby
bank, got into the yard for a better look at the building and said she was
looking forward to the renovation.
Zhang had heard that the church was one of Beijing's haunted sites.
"The church is beautiful," she said. "If it could be renovated, it would
become a unique part of the landscape of Beijing."
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发表于 2016-7-10 18:06:23