Mark Twain once said that “Truth is stranger than fiction“. For those of us living peaceful lives, this is usually untrue. However, there are often occasions which feel as though they were derived from a story. This is one of them.
If you cook, you’ll most likely recognise the Hong Kong brand Lee Kum Kee (李锦记). It is well known for its oyster sauce which is a staple household ingredient. Recently, the company was threatened with a mysterious note and some damaged graves.
The Lee Kum Kee company was founded by Lee Kum Sheung (李锦裳) after he supposedly invented oyster sauce by accident. Since then, the company has been kept within the family and has been handed down from generation to generation. However, early last month (May), the ancestral grave was disturbed. According to a note left behind, the desecration was due to the company.
The Lee family cemetery is located in Ha Fan Shan (下花山). Every year, the family and staff will travel up the mountain to visit the graves. Founder Lee Kum Sheung and his wife, along with the second generation of the family are buried there. This year, the family paid an emergency visit to the site after villagers reported it had been disturbed.
According to the villagers, they discovered the tomb had been damaged and the coffins were open. Additionally, two skulls had been placed provocatively in front of the grave. The skulls were found in front of the grave belonging to the second generation owner Lee Shiu Nan and his wife. As such, villagers assumed the skulls belonged to them. A note was also found accusing the company’s boss of being unscrupulous and “bullying the honest people“. “Why pretend to be deaf?” it asked. It promised karma and justice, with the ominous phrase “Blood for blood“. Additionally, the note alluded to further acts as it ended with “a good show to follow up“.
The villagers quickly reported the matter to the Lee family. The following day, the family members arrived to asses the damages themselves. Apparently, they could not find the skulls as they later asked the villagers about their whereabouts. Although several villagers volunteered to help hunt for them, the skulls could not be found. Some villagers asked the family about the disturbance to the grave, however, the Lee family stated it was a private matter.
The tomb has since been repaired but its damages can still be seen if one looks hard enough. According to China Press, there has been no word from the Lee family about the matter. It is believed they are keeping the incident hushed up. China Press also stated the police have not been informed about the incident.
Source: China Press
