This year's Lunar New Year was livelier and more bustling than ever. People flocked to temples to pray for blessings and peace. Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic had ravaged the world in general and Vietnam in particular, claiming tens of millions of lives and affecting countless others. People everywhere suffered immense hardship and grief; many families lost loved ones to the disease, and the economy declined severely. For humanity across the globe, the past three years were truly like a living hell in the most literal sense.
This Lunar New Year, an ancient and sacred temple in Thai Nguyen welcomed an enormous number of locals and visitors. People streamed in and out, filling the place with noise and excitement. Worshippers and tourists prayed sincerely for peace, good fortune for their families, and smooth success in their work.
Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out, startling everyone. Along with it came a barrage of curses echoing through the temple's main hall:
"Áaaaa... my head hurts so badly! You bald-headed monks, let me go right now! If you don't, I'll make sure your entire families are destroyed! I curse all of you! Your businesses will fail, your children will fall ill, end up in prison, and never rise again! I curse you! Áaaaa...!"
Those words terrified the visitors and worshippers, sending chills down their spines. Some brave souls dared to peer into the main hall to see who was screaming and hurling such vile curses-who would dare to desecrate such a solemn and revered place.
When they looked inside, their faces turned pale, their mouths hanging open, unable to utter a single word. Sitting in the center of the hall was a teenage boy, about eighteen or nineteen years old, screaming and cursing wildly. His body was emaciated. As he shouted, he struggled violently. Ropes and red threads were tightly bound all over his body. Beside him, two young monks were holding him down firmly. Around the room, other monks and the abbot struck wooden bells, chanting sutras and reciting prayers.
