The Truth Behind the Mystery of the Skulls in the Jars in Tronoh
Social media was abuzz on October 24, 2017, when four mysterious jars filled with four human skulls were discovered on a hill in a former tin mining area in Kampung Baru Nalla, Tronoh.
The human remains found have been referred to pathologists to identify various aspects, including the age of the bones and whether there were any elements of foul play. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, the skulls were discovered by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) contractors who were carrying out substation maintenance work in the area.
The jars were found neatly arranged, with three of them covered. The bones inside the jars were mixed together, and there were four skulls along with several other bones scattered on the ground. In reality, around the 1990s, the area was well-known as a site for placing jars containing the remains of ancestors and relatives of the Chinese community who had long passed away. Typically, they would be placed in high locations, such as hills, to achieve good Feng Shui. What is Feng Shui? For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, Feng Shui is a belief that grew alongside Chinese culture. 'Feng' means wind, while 'Shui' means water. Fundamentally, it deals with everything related to the elements of water, wind, and fire.
Usually, Feng Shui is closely associated with assets, tools, items, buildings, and many other things that can bring profit and luck to their users. So, here we would like to briefly explain the matter of these jars containing human bones. Basically, the condition of the ancestors' remains is the main factor for why this relocation of bones occurs. According to elderly members of the Chinese community who were interviewed, if the remains of their ancestors are damaged and not cared for, the lives of their living descendants will also be negatively affected. By placing their ancestors' bones in a higher, more peaceful place, far from disturbance, it is seen as an act of filial piety towards their ancestors, and they hope that the merit gained from this act will be passed down for all descendants to enjoy in the future.
The culture of relocating ancestors' bones is actually fading in the Chinese community today because not many are willing to handle the human remains of their own ancestors to clean them, move them from graves to jars, and place them in high locations.
