A-Piao’s Experience / In the Windless Xinhai Tunnel, My Helmet Shook on Its Own

▲Taipei’s Xinhai Tunnel. (Photo / from Wikipedia)

Written by Jiu Wu E Qi

When it comes to Taipei’s Xinhai Tunnel, it can be considered one of the most famous locations for paranormal incidents in all of Taiwan. Whether it’s the nearby Second Funeral Parlor or the sudden and rapid drop in temperature upon entering the tunnel, both contribute to the mysterious aura surrounding Xinhai Tunnel.

Although stories about incidents in the Xinhai Tunnel are endless, for residents living in areas like Muzha and Jingmei, the Xinhai Tunnel is a vital route that saves a significant amount of commuting time. As a result, many still choose the Xinhai Tunnel as their daily commute path.

Many years ago, when I was still living in the Xinglong Road area, the Xinhai Tunnel was an essential route I took every day to get to and from the city center. That afternoon, I was riding my scooter from Muzha to the Eastern District with a friend. We were chatting and laughing in the vehicle, and everything seemed completely normal. But unexpectedly, as soon as we entered the Xinhai Tunnel, everything suddenly changed.

Once inside the tunnel, my head was suddenly shaken forcefully from side to side by some strange force, as if someone had grabbed my head. This went on for about two to three seconds.

Faced with this sudden situation, the first thing I could do was to tell my friend behind me, “Don’t talk, just hold on tight. Whatever you see, pretend nothing happened!” Perhaps sensing the unease in my voice and subconsciously feeling that something was wrong, my friend immediately fell silent and gripped the handlebars tightly.

After that, the two of us continued the rest of the ride with anxious hearts, maintaining our speed. It wasn’t until we exited the Xinhai Tunnel that I finally dared to slowly let out the breath I’d been holding in my chest.

“Did you feel anything strange inside the tunnel just now?” I asked my friend, but they said they didn’t notice anything unusual at all.

Some might think it was caused by the airflow inside the tunnel. However, at the time, I was wearing a full-face NOLAN helmet—something you’d even see used in MotoGP races—so ordinary airflow shouldn’t have been able to produce such a strong effect. Moreover, the weather was clear that day, and there was no noticeable wind inside the tunnel. So why did I feel like my head was being “shaken” the moment I entered the tunnel? To this day, it remains an unsolved mystery in my mind.

As for the story of being “given a ride” at the entrance of the Xinhai Tunnel, and the incident where a piece of jewelry around my chest inexplicably broke after I got home following the tunnel ride—that’s another story altogether.