Mainland Chinese actor Yu Menglong fell to his death at Beijing’s Sunshine Upper East complex on Sept. 11, 2025. (Image: online source)
The Yu Menglong incident continues to dominate online discussions, with shocking new claims surfacing while the truth grows ever more elusive.
In a bizarre twist, rumors circulating online allege that after Yu Menglong’s tragic death, he received a “black death warrant” from the underworld—an alleged supernatural warrant granting spirits the power to seek vengeance against their killers.
Coincidentally, actress Song Yiren recently drew attention after posting that she “felt something following her” and was looking for a way to “ward off evil.” Because of the timing, her remarks have fueled speculation linking the two events.
According to a viral version of a story shared on the Taiwanese Xuan Ji Temple livestream, a deity was said to have appeared immediately after Yu’s death, comforting him and promising protection before escorting him to the underworld to meet King Yama, the ruler of hell. The tale claims that Yama—breaking protocol—issued a black death warrant, symbolizing an official pursuit order from the afterlife.
Online chatter suggests there may be 17 such warrants, representing each alleged perpetrator involved in Yu’s death. Reports also claim Yu’s spirit appeared severely injured, “covered in wounds and with multiple fractures,” implying he suffered brutal abuse before dying. The story says a deity later restored him and that October 1st marked the day Yu supposedly began using the black warrant to exact vengeance.
As for rumors that Song Yiren traveled to Thailand to obtain protective talismans, some netizens mocked the effort, writing, “It’s useless—Yu Menglong has the Black Warrant; nothing can save you.”
While none of these claims have been verified, their eerie details and coincidental timing have reignited national attention on Yu Menglong’s death.
Taiwanese media describe the so-called “Black Death Warrant” as the most powerful and terrifying of its kind—an invisible death warrant from the underworld, unlike the ceremonial black flags displayed at temples. It allegedly allows a wronged soul to return to the mortal world, accompanied by ghostly enforcers, to take revenge on their killers.
Once issued, even divine beings are said to be unable to intervene—unless the vengeful spirit harms the innocent, at which point higher deities may step in to restrain or redeem it.
The tale of a vengeful spirit
According to Taiwanese media reports, an eerie story connected to the so-called “Black Death Warrant” circulated in 2019 after a man shared it in the online group Ghost and Supernatural Society.
The story centers on two childhood friends who were as close as brothers—until one tragic night when a drunken argument turned fatal. In a fit of rage, one man accidentally killed the other. He was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison. Yet, before his imprisonment, he never once apologized to the victim’s family, only insisting, “I didn’t mean to do it.”
The victim’s family, heartbroken and furious, performed an unusual burial ritual. Before sealing the coffin, they carved four holes to allow the deceased’s hands and feet to extend outward. They placed straw sandals on his feet and gloves on his hands, and put a willow branch in his right hand.
According to traditional belief, straw sandals help a spirit “run faster and farther” in pursuit of vengeance, while the willow branch symbolizes a sword of retribution.
Years later, after serving his sentence, the killer returned home. But strange things began to happen. His family’s dog howled each night, and their chickens and ducks died mysteriously. Fearing something supernatural, the family sought help at a local temple.
However, the temple deity reportedly said helplessly, “The friend you killed has already received a Black Death Warrant from Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva to claim your life. Gods of the living world cannot interfere.”
In folklore, a spirit who is granted such a warrant is escorted by ghostly enforcers—known as the Seventh and Eighth Lords —and may return to the mortal realm to exact revenge. Once the flag is issued, even benevolent deities are forbidden from intervening.
Terrified, the man barricaded himself indoors, but the hauntings only intensified. Each night, strange knocking echoed through the doors and windows, accompanied by chilling noises that robbed the household of sleep.
One day, seemingly entranced, the man wandered to a railway track in a daze. Despite an oncoming train’s blaring horn, he stood motionless—and was struck and killed instantly. After his death, all disturbances in the house ceased. When the victim’s family heard the news, they later reburied the deceased’s remains, believing his soul had finally found peace.
The story concludes with a moral warning:
“Do not be deceived by the Chinese Communist Party’s atheism. Death is not the end—good and evil both reap what they sow. Retribution is certain; it only waits for its time.”
Editor’s Note: This account reflects a traditional folk tale. There is no verifiable evidence supporting supernatural claims.
