Chinese neighbours trapped in mountains ignore rescue calls over spiritual fears

According to Chinese folklore, it is believed that mountain demons can imitate familiar voices to lure lost individuals

Two individuals in Beijing found themselves trapped in a mountain but refused rescue due to a superstition that responding to strangers brings bad luck.

The police and firefighters in the Huairou district received a call on the evening of July 29, reporting that two neighbours from a nearby village had gone missing while foraging for herbs in a wild mountain area.

The pair, a 73-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman, frequently foraged together. Both had hearing impairments.

They did not carry mobile phones since there was no signal in the mountainous region. Rescuers were informed that they also lacked food and water.

Rescue teams were quickly formed and began searching through the night. After 17 hours of effort, they successfully located the two extremely exhausted individuals, who had been trapped for nearly 30 hours.

Upon discovery, the rescuers learned that the pair had heard their calls long before being found.