Taiwan's Famous Urban Legend - Xinhai Tunnel

Built in the 1970s, this tunnel is situated above a vast, boundless mass grave, with its exit directly leading to Taipei's Second Funeral Parlor. Its natural geography and eerie atmosphere have made it a breeding ground for Taiwan's most famous urban legends. Countless motorcyclists returning home alone at night have experienced inexplicable strange occurrences in this straight yet unusually chilling passage. The most frequently mentioned is the "old woman pushing a cart" seen going the wrong way by the roadside. She moves slowly, expressionless, pushing a dilapidated wooden cart. Whenever a rider passes her in a panic and quickly checks their rearview mirror, they only see an empty asphalt road, as if she only existed in that fleeting moment of passing. Even veteran taxi drivers have shared chilling personal experiences. One late night, near the Second Funeral Parlor, a driver picked up an elegant woman dressed in ancient Qing Dynasty attire who requested a ride to Daan District. As the car slowly drove deeper into the tunnel, the temperature in the back seat plummeted. The driver tried to speak to her through the rearview mirror, only to discover in horror that the back seat was already empty, with only a stack of冥紙 (spirit money) covered in cold dew quietly lying on the seat cushion. This tunnel, less than 500 meters long, on a rainy Taipei night, seems to transform into a gray area where the realms of the living and the dead intersect. The roar of the engine echoes endlessly between the enclosed walls, accompanied by faint sighs that seem to drift by, still making night travelers hesitant to look back.