Ever since I heard the story about the "Eaves Under Water Pig," I've made a point to chat with him every time he comes online. He has many stories to tell, and I often pester him to share them. He usually talks about the strange and unusual events he encountered during his early years working in exploration, which has broadened my knowledge quite a bit.
One time, I mentioned my experiences in Tibet and sent him photos of the Zama Ru (skull drum) and Gang Dong (human bone flute) that I took. After looking at them, he told me that human bone flutes and skull drums are not unique to Tibet. During his travels in Yunnan, he had seen similar items and had a particularly eerie experience that he couldn't quite tell if it was a dream or reality. Because the impression was so profound, he had never forgotten it over the years.
I was very curious and asked him to recount that experience. He agreed readily, and that's how the following story came about.
It was around the summer of 2003 when the Eaves Under Water Pig and two colleagues set out for a trip to Yunnan. Yunnan has many famous scenic spots and a diverse range of ethnic minorities. The natural environment hasn't been overly damaged by modern industrialization, and even some small villages still retain their original charm with captivating scenery.
The Eaves Under Water Pig and his colleagues were on a self-driving tour, enjoying the scenery as they went. Although they had a pre-planned route, they had deviated from it before they had even covered half the distance, but they didn't mind.
On the fourth day in Yunnan, they drove to a small town. The town was quite large with many old-style buildings, bustling with people, and had a completely different atmosphere from small towns in the northeast.
The Eaves Under Water Pig and his group stayed at a guesthouse named "Homesick." The owner was a middle-aged man in his forties, who appeared to be Han Chinese, but the two service staff at the guesthouse were from ethnic minorities.
After dinner, the Eaves Under Water Pig took a tour around the guesthouse. The furnishings had a vintage feel, giving the impression of stepping back in time, as if returning to decades or even a century ago.
He eventually stopped in front of a dark red cabinet, which displayed a rather small but oddly shaped drum. It looked quite old, with the drum surface almost turned brown, though a closer look revealed a hint of green. The body of the drum was quite exquisite, with an unclear material and beautifully carved patterns, seemingly of small figures dancing.
After a while, he couldn't help but reach out to touch it. The drum was cool to the touch, and the relief carvings were very smooth. When he gently tapped the drumhead, it produced a "thud" sound that, although deep, seemed to resonate right to the heart. To his surprise, as soon as the drum sound ended, the drumhead suddenly caved in, revealing a strange shape. Because it was so brief, he didn't get a clear look at what it was.
The Eaves Under Water Pig was quite astonished: What kind of craftsmanship is this?
"Don't touch that drum."
"Oh, sorry, I was just curious."
Feeling embarrassed as if caught doing something wrong, he turned around and saw the guesthouse owner approaching.
"It's alright," the guesthouse owner said with a slight smile, "This drum has been here for many years. The reason we don't want you to touch it is due to a special reason."
The Eaves Under Water Pig glanced at the drum and asked out of curiosity, "What's the reason?"
"Because this drum is made from human skulls and skin."