In the annals of forensic science, there exist tales that defy conventional understanding — stories where the boundary between the living and the departed blurs, revealing glimpses of the supernatural. These are the accounts where forensic investigators encounter more than just physical evidence; they confront apparitions seeking justice, voices from beyond offering clues, and inexplicable phenomena that challenge the very essence of mortality.
Experiences of Yeh Zhaoqu
There was a well-known forensic doctor in Taiwan named Yeh Zhaoqu, who was the teacher of Yang Risong. Many years ago, Dr. Yeh Zhaoqu changed his profession from pediatrician to forensic doctor, and the first case he dealt with was that of a mother and her son who died in a small hut in a field because of a fire.
That night Dr. Yeh Zhaoqu dreamed of the woman, who tearfully claimed that she and her son were actually murdered. The next morning, Dr. Yeh Zhaoqu went to the laboratory to conduct tests and proved that although the boy died from the fire, the woman had not.
Based on Dr. Ye Zhaoqu’s report, the police delved deeper into the case, uncovering the truth. The murderer turned out to be her husband. The couple had been experiencing marital discord due to his extramarital affair. They argued in the hut, and in a fit of rage, he smashed a bottle over her head, rendering her unconscious. Believing she was dead, he ruthlessly set fire to the hut in an attempt to cover his tracks.
In another instance, Dr. Yeh napped and dreamed of a woman pleading for justice. Two hours later, he examined a body by the Danshui River, only to find it was the same woman from his dream. Dr. Yeh’s examination revealed that she had been killed and then thrown into the river. Further investigation by the police confirmed that she was accidentally killed and disposed of in the river.
Yang Risong’s experiences
Dr. Yang Risong, another famous Taiwanese forensic pathologist, has handled many major forensic cases over the years and has been revered as “Taiwan’s Sherlock Holmes” as well as the “Forensic Detective.” During his 47 years of public service as a forensic expert, he examined more than 20,000 corpses.
Even after retirement, he continued to share his expertise as a consultant and remained involved in major criminal cases for more than half a century, marking a legendary chapter in the history of forensic pathology in Taiwan. He also experienced cases where the souls of the deceased visited him personally.
The following three cases demonstrate just a few of his experiences.
A ghost seeking justice
In Lao Mei, between Sanzhi and Yehliu in Taipei County, a woman drowned accidentally while trying to help her ill family member over 20 years ago. Yang Risong, accompanied by a prosecutor and a clerk, joined his teacher, Dr. Yeh Zhaoqu, to examine the site.
After the autopsy, they went to Danshui for dinner and then drove back to Taipei on a drizzling night. During the drive, Yang Risong suddenly noticed a young woman in the car. He assumed someone had brought her from Danshui, but he was too shy to mention it. Instead, he nudged the clerk with his elbow, and the clerk responded with a wry smile.
As the car approached the Shilin level crossing, the checkpoint barrier descended, halting their progress. Their surprise grew when a police officer approached, requested their identification, and informed the prosecutor that a woman’s body had been found in the Danshui River beneath the Taipei Bridge. The prosecutor was then summoned to inspect the body.
By the time they arrived at the riverside parking area, the young woman had vanished from the car. When the police officers on the scene took them to the body found under the bridge, everyone present, including Yang Risong, gasped in horror. The deceased woman was the same one who had briefly been seen in their car earlier!
The preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased had an unemployed boyfriend who viewed her as a source of money. This situation was intolerable for her and led to frequent disputes between the two. According to the boyfriend’s statement to the police, he stopped the car one night while they were driving on Taipei Bridge because it was briefly blocked by something. At that moment, the woman hastily exited the vehicle and jumped into the water, determined to commit suicide. He said that it was tragic, but that he was unable to rescue her in time.
But why did the deceased appear in Yang Risong’s car? Following the prosecutor’s explanation, the police conducted a thorough investigation and concluded that the victim had been pushed into the river and drowned by her boyfriend. It became evident that she had returned to seek justice from beyond the grave.
A ghostly hitchhiker
On another occasion, Yang Risong visited a hospital in Yilan to examine a woman’s body. The initial judgment was that she had committed suicide by drinking pesticide.
On their return journey to Taipei, they encountered a woman hitchhiking along the roadside in the heavy rain. They offered her a ride, and though the woman remained silent throughout the journey, Yang felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing her. After traveling with them for a while, the woman eventually disembarked from the car.
Soon after, they realized they were lost in the mountains. It was then that Yang recalled the woman from earlier, and realized why she seemed so familiar — she bore a striking resemblance to the deceased he had examined. Suspecting the deceased might be seeking justice, he decided to return to Yilan immediately for a re-examination.
This time, he discovered that the woman’s lungs showed signs of pesticide erosion, which typically occurs only when a person is forced to ingest pesticide, due to the fact that some will enter the windpipe as the victim struggles. This led to the conclusion that it was a homicide, and not a suicide as previously thought!
Visit from a faceless ghost
On November 21, 1993, a female body was found face down in the sand on Danshui’s Shalun Beach wearing a blue tracksuit. Upon arrival, the prosecutor and forensic doctor noted that the skin and flesh on the body’s face were entirely missing, leaving only a skull with hair attached. Due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, the body was frozen at the Banqiao Funeral Home pending further investigation.
On December 3, Yang, accompanied by a prosecutor, re-examined the body. Since it had not fully thawed, he could only autopsy the head and chest. He discovered sand in the woman’s throat, indicating drowning. However, the facial wounds were initially attributed to crab bites.
That night, Yang dreamed of a blood-covered woman in a blue tracksuit knocking on his door, asking for an examination. He told her to come to the Criminal Investigation Bureau the next day as he had no equipment at home.
The following day, Yang carefully examined the thawed body and found multiple precise cuts, indicating murder with a sharp instrument rather than crab bites. Intriguingly, the woman’s clothing matched that of the woman in his dream, down to the brand. This revelation shifted the investigation’s direction, eventually leading to solving the case.
These incidents strongly suggest that the deceased appeared to the forensic doctor to seek resolution for unresolved issues surrounding their deaths. This phenomenon raises profound questions about the existence of souls and provides compelling evidence for the reality of paranormal occurrences.
Translated by Audrey Wang
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