FUNDAMENTALLY, the devotees believed that on the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the gates of Hell will open, letting ‘homeless ghosts’ to roam the living world. This year, the festival falls on August 1 to 29 of the western calendar. On the 15th day of the seventh month (falling on August 15), it is said that the gates of both Heaven and Hell would open thus giving the chance to the ‘homeless ghosts’ to return home (heaven) and to have a peaceful afterlife. According to 26-yearold Esther Lim, during the fifteenth, devotees would perform offerings to feed the ‘homeless ghosts’ and, rituals to absolve the sufferings and relieve the deceased of their sins.
“Usually we would burn incense on the first, fifteenth and last day of the 7th lunar month, but our offerings on the fifteenth day are usually the largest,” she explained. Esther continued sharing that on the fifteenth, her family would lay out chicken, duck, pork, variety of fruits and even the Chinese steamed rice flour cake (huat kueh) to present to their ancestors and the ‘homeless ghosts’ passing by. “We conduct the rituals and offerings to express gratitude towards our ancestors.
As for the ‘homeless ghosts’ also known as ‘our brothers’ (Xiong di), it is usually for a charitable cause,” said Esther. She also mentioned that since it is the only time the ‘brothers’ get to go out and ‘play’, most devotees would offer food as though as an ‘open house’ for them on the fifteenth. “While the ‘homeless ghosts’ get to eat and drink, the living who offered would get good merits for helping. It is also another form of respect towards the deceased.” During this day, Esther said that her family would usually lay out the offerings and pray.
Afterwards, they would flip a pair of coins. “If one coin is faced up, and the other down, it means they are done. If both sides are the same, it means they are not done eating,” she disclosed. Meanwhile, temples would organise an offering session on the fifteenth called the ‘Chao du’, or in English, the Salvation Rites. During this session, the ‘homeless ghosts’ are given the chance to reincarnate or to live a peaceful afterlife through the prayers of the devotees. After the Salvation Rites, a ‘Qiang gu’ will happen whereby devotees would usually rush to grab offerings (such as food and others) from the altar for a blessing. According to Esther, those who are unable to grab any would receive bad luck on that day.
The legend of the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’
According to Taoism, the festival originates from the Northern Wei Dynasty (368 – 534), the Ghost Festival month falls on the birthday month of the King of Hell.
On the king’s birthday, the imprisoned ghosts are pardoned and released from hell to accept the rituals and sacrifices in the living world. Through the ceremonial rites, Taoist monks would assist the King by chanting sutras to absolve the ‘homeless ghosts’ of their sins and to keep them from causing troubles on the land of the living.
Meanwhile, Buddhists believe that the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’ developed when Buddha Shakyamuni was still alive, one of his disciples named Maudgalyayana became an ‘Arhat’ with miraculous powers after receiving enlightenment. When Maudgalyayana wanted to repay his late parents for birthing him, he observed through the Deva eyes and found his late mother in the realm of the hungry ghosts (Hell), had no food and was skinny.
Despaired, he used his powers to offer her food, but when his mother was about to eat, the food became ash. Depressed of the situation, he told Buddha of the story. Buddha answered him that his mother had committed sins while she was alive, so she had become a hungry ghost to suffer for her wrongdoings. “You cannot release her with your strength, however with the power of monks, many of those like her can receive enlightenment.” Buddha also said that to release his mother from being a ‘hungry ghost’, Maudgalyayana should offer vegetarian food to them as a good deed to ensure her purgatory on this day.
Taboos during the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’
1. Do not stick chopsticks onto your rice bowl as it symbolises joss sticks and the ghosts might mistake it for offerings.
2. Do not open an umbrella indoor as a spirit may follow you home.
3. Do not leave your front door open at night as negative energy will flow in.
4 . Do not kill rare insects appearing at home as it might be your ancestors visiting.
5. Do not pee on plants or trees as you may pee on a spirit thus risking an offence against them.
6. Do not swim at night as ghosts may drown you.
7. Do not disturb road side offerings as it is to appease ghosts that passes by.
8. Do not try to summon ghosts on the 7th lunar month as they are more ferocious.
9. Do not respond to your name being called from behind as it might not be ‘human’.
10. Do not talk about ghosts at night as it might offend wandering spirits.
