The Wanggongchang Explosion (王恭厂大爆炸)

Peking · China · Urban · Scare 4/5

On 30 May 1626 an unexplained blast erased a whole district of Beijing – 20,000 died, and every victim was found stripped bare.

On the morning of 30 May 1626, the Wanggongchang gunpowder works southwest of the Forbidden City became a vast crater. A roar was heard, a mushroom-shaped cloud rose over the capital, and thousands of houses were flattened for miles around. As many as 20,000 people died; even the Tianqi Emperor's infant heir perished from the shock inside the palace. The eeriest detail in contemporary reports: the victims, dead and living alike, were found stripped of their clothes – garments turned up miles away, hanging in the trees of the Western Hills. The blast is counted among China's three great historical enigmas, and contemporaries read it as Heaven's wrath over the corrupt eunuch Wei Zhongxian. The blocks around today's Xinwenhua Street were rebuilt, but the tales of the day the sky swallowed a district have never gone quiet.

FAQ

How scary is The Wanggongchang Explosion (王恭厂大爆炸)?

The Wanggongchang Explosion (王恭厂大爆炸) has a scare factor of 4/5 according to Haunted Places’ verified ratings.

Where is The Wanggongchang Explosion (王恭厂大爆炸) located?

The Wanggongchang Explosion (王恭厂大爆炸) is in Peking, China.