The Call of the Water Ghost

The story of a water ghost becoming a city god has been widely transmitted across Taiwan. This story recounts a run-of-the-mill person walking on a road (depending on the version, this person is a fisherman, blacksmith or another profession) who meets a ghost living in a nearby river. By chance, the ghost becomes the traveler’s silent friend. One day, the water ghost planned on dragging someone to the river and drowning them. Doing so, the ghost would be free of his watery confines as the newly deceased would take his place. However, his plan was interrupted, either due to the actions of the fisherman, or through the compassion of the water ghost himself. The ghost therefore abandons his plan of drowning, and even goes as far as occasionally helping people cross the river. In gratitude for the ghost’s change of heart, the Lord of the Heavens transformed the ghost into a city god, putting him in charge of the water and land of the surrounding area.

Taking into consideration that the park of the New Taipei City Art Museum is located at the confluence of the Yingge and Dahan Rivers and that the position of this sound work is near water, a folk tale with a particular relevance to Taiwan’s waters was chosen. The story has many versions, but what remains the same in every version is that the water ghost is not a frightening figure, but a supernatural being with a benevolent heart and an ability to tell right from wrong. In this story one hears multiple interactions between the water ghost and people by the river. It is a comedic story, one full of joy.