Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
Whether it was during ancient times or modern times, many people like to offer joss sticks to pray to the gods.
There was a saying, ‘one never visits unless they need something.’
There are Three Jewels in Buddhism, namely, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. People usually pray burn joss sticks and pray to Buddha because they have either something they wish for or something they regret and want to repent for. Their three joss sticks represent this Triratna (the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha), and they also represent virtue, determination, and wisdom.
For thousands of years, this has become a habit. Whether it is burning three joss sticks in front of Buddha, or three joss sticks to other Gods, or even praying to one’s ancestors during the New Year or other festivals, everyone is used to this habit of burning three joss sticks.
Sometimes, at special places, it is necessary to offer four joss sticks. This fourth joss stick also had a name to it, it’s called “Ghost Invitation Incense”!
Ning Huanxin knew about this quite well, because…
She had seen too many scenes similar to these when she was a child.
……
The director of this production team was Wang Nianping. He’s the most famous horror film director in the entertainment industry, and his horror films have always been box office hits. Firstly, it was because of his high standards, and secondly, because Director Wang pays special attention to the details, as well as focused a lot on the atmosphere also.
For example, a typical third-rate horror film would be shot by just setting up the scene in a studio, putting up some green smoke, and usually, that’s it.
However, for this movie, Director Wang had actually traveled a long distance and brought his entire team to this deserted graveyard for filming. Apparently, this graveyard was very famous.
Ever since it was revealed that this film “Seeing Ghosts in the Seventh Month”1 was to be shot here at this graveyard, attention, and popularity over it had never faded.
Moreover, the news around this film had never let the audience down. On the first day when everyone arrived here to film, the third female lead got into an incident where she hurt her leg while filming in the middle of the night. It wasn’t any serious injury, but the media portrayed it in an incredibly eerie manner. However, as per schedule, she should be done with her work today.
Ning Huanxin slowly collected back her thoughts, and her gaze fell onto the joss sticks once again.
Right now, Director Wang had already lit the joss sticks, and many people in the production crew stared at those four joss sticks with frozen faces. A gust of wind blew past, and Ning Huanxin rubbed her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she heard everyone around suck in a harsh breath of cold breath.
Out of the four joss sticks on the incense burner, three of them were still slowly burning, while the fourth one was burning really quickly as if it would instantly turn into ashes!
Did the Ghost Invitation Incense, really invited a… ghost?
“Director! This…”
At that moment, the assistant director on the side hurriedly rushed to Director Wang. They frequently filmed horror films, so this wasn’t the first time they had encountered something like this.
“Bring the silver joss paper over!”
Director Wang was very calm. He had traveled far and wide for years with his crew, of course, he wouldn’t lack any gold or silver joss paper.
Gold joss paper is used to pray to the Earth God, to ask for blessings, and let them be able to successfully finish filming on that spot.
As for the silver joss paper, it is specifically used to pray to the ghosts.
“Come come come, come here, everyone. The sun is about to set. Come here and pray, then we’ll start shooting!”
The assistant director distributed the silver joss paper to everyone on set. Although Ning Huanxin had always been very brave and never really believed in ghosts, she still obediently took the silver joss paper over.
“I don’t want to.”
At that moment, a different voice called through the production team. The person who spoke was the female lead of this film, Luo Yixin.
“My hands will be covered in silver after touching that thing. My skin is sensitive.”
Luo Yixin was very much against using or touching the silver joss paper. Ultimately, the assistant director couldn’t do anything, so she could only let Luo Yixin’s assistant do it on her behalf and burn more on her behalf.
After a while, the sun went down.
After the sunset, the bright light between the sky and earth greatly reduced.
Every day, when the sun sets, it represents the end of the day. But what about in the underworld?
Perhaps… It was the start of a new day?