Deep in the mountains of Zhejiang, China, lies a place locals call the Dragon King’s Eighteen Ponds—a forested gorge of waterfalls, emerald pools, and bottomless depths. But behind the beauty is a chilling reputation: hikers vanish, ghostly lights flicker over the water, and villagers whisper that restless spirits lure the living to their deaths. In 2020, one woman disappeared here for 17 days and returned gaunt, dazed, and claiming she had been led by long-dead villagers. Was it exhaustion and hallucination—or a supernatural encounter with the Dragon King’s realm?

In this episode of The Supernatural Collective, we dive into the lore, the disappearances, and the unsettling blend of myth and reality that make the Dragon King’s Eighteen Ponds one of China’s most haunted landscapes.

If you’ve ever had an unexplainable experience—or if you’ve been to a place where the line between myth and reality disappears—we want to hear from you. Share your story with us at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/adriana-harts/message.

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References

• Taizhou Evening News (2020) – Coverage of 39-year-old woman’s disappearance and return.

• Sina News (2020) – Reports on search efforts and “ghost-guided” theories.

• Firsthand village lore (Longwang Village) – Legends of ghost lights, spirits seeking substitutes, and annual accidents.

• TwoBulu Hiking Forum (2020) – Summaries of accidents in 2014, 2017, and 2020.

• Zhihu & Bilibili (2020–2021) – Discussions on “ghost lead” phenomenon and parallel world theories.

• Trip.com Travel Guide – Scenic description of the Dragon King Eighteen Pools.