Ghost Festival a.k.a Hungry Ghost Month

Ya ya ya… Mid-Autumn Festival just finished and I’m writing Ghost Festival (Chinese Lunar Calendar 7th Month).  This traditional festival is still celebrate by Chinese in many Countries(Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan…).

King of the Ghost

Buddhist and Taoists had different understanding in this traditional festival.  For Taoists,  they believed on the 15th day of Seventh month of Chinese Lunar Calendar, the ghosts or spirits(including deceased ancestor) will come out from lower realm.  Living people will worship this spirits by preparing ritualistic foods offering, burning joss-paper, joss stick(incense), papier-mache form such as cloths, gold, money and others goods.To Buddhist, Seventh month of Chinese Lunar Calendar is as month of joy(Ullambana).

Stage perfomance for living people and ghost

Ghost festival - Giant joss sticks

Praying rituals on 15th day of Seventh month

Foods, Candies, Joss paper, Papier-mache materials for the spirits and ghost

Yes, is for the ghost and spirits

Ghost King

Ghost boat - Still not understand why must have this boat!

After watching some TV programs about this Ghost festival.  Finally, I know why there is a papier-mache boat.  Its look like, people who lived as fisher-men, in the Ghost festival, they will had to burn this papier-mache boat at the sea shore as a must rituals, asking for good catching and protection when they work on sea.

Candies for Ghost and Spirits

Performances for Ghost and Spirits

p/s :  when I was little, my mom always banned me from going out at night on the Ghost month.  She believed we will easily get ‘contact’ with ghost and spirit and get sick.  Hmmm…