A noise by the stream

It was the early days of Communist China. Traveling by foot to another village had to be applied for and approved. Neighbors watched over each other both for protection and to notify the government of Counter Revolutionary behavior, food was scarce, (religion, traditional cultural activities, and any counter revolutionary behavior was forbidden, including gatheriong in groups of three or more. Leaving was also forbidden.

One night as villagers slept people heard screaming. Loud riotous sound coming from the direction of the stream as if there were hundreds of people or hundreds of somethings, wreaking havoc. The voices were angry, distraught and continuous for a period of time and then would suddenly stop.

The next morning rumors began to spread about the noise as everyone had heard it. What was it. People had thought there might be a riot or who knows starting, but then nothing happened, only noise.

"Ghosts calling out", came the answer, and soon that rumor spread. In the old days that would be a very reasonable answer, when people believed in such things and were allowed to believe in such things. This was an unlucky omen and would have to be dealt with by Excorcism, perhaps by lion dance and offerings, Taosit priest, Buddhist monk, or simply regular people giving offerings to the gods.

But this was the time of Mao. No ancestors or gods were in peopel's houses, only pictures of the Chairman, and believeing in anything like ghosts could get you reeducted or perhaps between to death by the neighbors whther they believed in such a thing or not. But clearly there was a noise. What was the noise.
Maybe there were ghosts, would that mean that... they old ways weren't wrong?
Would the people start questioning communist power? The local officials were getting nervous with what they thought people might start thinking.
This nonsense had to be stopped, because it wasn't stopping by itself.

Finally one night they caught a coupld of men walking late into the village a while after the noises were heard. They had come into the village from the direction of the sounds of crowds of people.
"Ha! Trying to start an uprising? Confess your crimes and your punishment will be more lenient!"
They were heavily beaten, the blows releasing frustration of a situation beyond modern understanding into these human sacrifices. They were jailed for torture until they explained how they started these events and watched carefully as they were clearly threats to the country and to the party, Capatilist roaders wishing China to revert to its dark abnd corrupted past.

But then that night, the loud racous was heard yet again. After it continued on for about an hour, the two men were released. Clearly the noise was created by something else.
This went on for quite some time. Rumors of the two men being beaten spread and people made sure to stay in their respective homes and not mention anything about the noise. Just ignore it and never takl about it. In fact deny hearimg it and scold others for spreading false rumors. Throw in a few words, like Capitalist roader or something and show that you are the real Communist and that you are perfectly happy and have never heard any noise whatsoever.

Some did this planning to stay. Others did this, planning to eventually escape down to Hong Kong.

Eventually the noise did stop. Mao also eventually died. People are allowed to travel more freely nowdays and reforms have taken place, under the same one Party rule.

Traditional and Foward thinking knowledge are both accepted and encouraged under supervision of the Party and the State. A better explanation for the noise has never been found or really sought after much. In an interesting twist of events, the most powerful country in the world, came to owe this previously dirt poor country a great deal of money and still begs it for money to this day.