Chen Hanwei believed his late mum visited him on a few occasions, days after she died in 2024.
The 56-year-old local actor recalled his experiences during his Facebook sales livestream on May 21, which he hosted with comedian-livestreamer Miss Mole, also known as Ho Ailing.
He said: “Sometimes, there are some things you just can’t not believe. On the seventh day my mum left, a moth flew into my home. I touched it and stayed by its side for a long time.
“I remember asking, ‘Mum, have you returned home?’ Once I touched it, it flew into my living room. I got goosebumps at that moment… I felt touched.”
In Chinese folk culture, it is a belief that the spirit of a recently deceased loved one will return in the form of a moth or butterfly.
Hanwei’s mum died at the age of 90 in 2024. He also mentioned in a livestream on May 4 that his mum had confessed to him when he was 40 years old that he was adopted.
Hanwei shared in his latest livestream that his second experience occurred a few days later.
He recounted: “I had just returned home when my television set turned on by itself. On the screen was a programme with Chinese singer Zhou Shen, who is my mum’s favourite singer…
“My hands were dirty, so I went to the toilet, the one my mum usually went to, to wash my hands and I smelled jasmine flowers. I told myself it should be her, so I sat down on the sofa. I also remembered asking if she had returned and just sat there silently to watch the programme with her.
“I wasn’t scared at all; I just felt warmth, anticipation and relief, but also a sense of sadness and disappointment.”
In many folklore and cultures, a sudden, strong whiff of jasmine is thought to be a spirit of a departed relative visiting a person and letting them know they are watching over them or comforting them during a difficult time.
Hanwei said that was the last time he felt his mum visiting him, adding while the jasmine fragrance only lingered for a few seconds, he hoped it had lasted longer because he treasured the moment very much.
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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com
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