Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival
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- publisher
- Max-lee
- Issue Time
- Aug 24,2018
Summary
In Chinese culture, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm.
The Hungry Ghost Festival, a month-long ancient tradition that pays respect to the spirits of the dead, is celebrated across many parts of Chinese Asia on the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
During the festival, ghosts are believed to return to Earth to haunt the living and people burn paper money and food -- as well as incense -- to pay respect to their ancestors and soothe wandering spirits.
Throughout the month, many communities host celebrations, hand out rice to people in need and stage traditional Chinese operas on temporary bamboo stages for people -- both the living and the dead -- to enjoy.
On this night, the ghosts that have been roaming the Earth for two weeks are believed to be hungry, so people burn food, money and even luxury goods to make sure their ancestors, and any lonely spirits without a family, are cared for.
These paper items are often beautifully presented and constructed in minute detail.
Bowls of individual dim sum, crafted from paper of course, are carefully garnished and presented with accompaniments.
Luxury goods like iPhones, houses, designer handbags and flashy cars have also become increasingly popular in recent years.
Well, we burn incense on the street.
And there are basically two reasons: For the ancestors who passed away, and also for anonymous spirits who had no siblings or children.
That's why Chinese people burn things for them to give comfort to the wandering spirits.
