By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — A minor roadside mishap near Zuoying High Speed Rail Station (高鐵左營站) briefly turned into a somewhat surreal scene on Feb. 15, when banknotes went airborne and puzzled bystanders hesitated to touch them, apparently unsure whether they were real cash or ritual “ghost money.”
According to Kaohsiung police, a man surnamed Yan was riding a scooter along Gaotie Road (高鐵路), near Chonghe Road (重和路), at around 3 p.m., when a wallet and a bundle of cash slipped from the inner pocket of his jacket. The notes were scattered across multiple lanes, prompting officers to stop their patrol car in the middle lane to control traffic and prevent accidents.
With help from passersby, police gathered and counted the scattered currency, confirming a total of RMB 11,181 and NT$10,000. Authorities said no money was missing, and the full amount was returned to Yan, who told officers the funds were intended for spending during an upcoming overseas trip.
What truly caught public attention, however, was the initial reaction from the crowd. A viral social media post described the scene as “ghost money flying all over Xin Zuoying Road,” after some onlookers mistook the red Mao Zedong portraits on the notes for joss paper typically used in traditional rituals.
Police emphasized that officers prioritized traffic safety first, given the hazard posed by loose banknotes on a busy road near the high-speed rail hub. After securing the area, they proceeded to collect the currency and verify ownership on site.
