What is Hungry Ghost Festival?

The Hungry Ghost Festival is an important event in Chinese culture that takes place in the seventh month of the lunar calendar. This festival has a rich history, distinctive beliefs, and a variety of rituals that have evolved over centuries. It is an occasion for family gatherings, spiritual reflection, and community celebration.

The festival is also known as Zhongyuan Festival (中元節) or Yulan Festival (盂蘭節), and is celebrated during a month-long period when various rituals and rites take place around the city to appease the ravenous ghosts. During this period, also known as Ghost Month (鬼月), twitchy troubled spirits are said to roam the streets and many people give out offerings for the visiting spirits of their ancestors to appease them, including ceremonial victuals, burned incense, joss paper, and hell money.

Beliefs and Rituals

The festival centres around the belief that the gates of the afterlife are opened and the spirits of deceased ancestors are allowed to return to the living world. Communities hold ceremonies and offerings to appease the spirits and gain their blessing. These include burning incense, candles, and paper offerings to provide necessities for the spirits in the afterlife, such as money, clothes, and even cars. Homes and streets are decorated with colourful lanterns, and people perform traditional Chinese opera to entertain the spirits.

Offerings

• Burning incense is a part of offering preparation. The smoke carries the offerings to the ancestors and is meant to please and protect them. It is also believed to cleanse the generations of any misfortunes or illnesses they may have.

• Paper offerings, such as food containers and 'hell notes' are burnt and provided to the spirits. Living family members prepare a feast for their visiting ancestors and leave empty seats at the dining table for them.

• Joss paper offerings are a central part of the Hungry Ghost Festival. They are pieces of paper that are burned to send messages or objects to the ancestors in the afterlife. The burning of joss paper is believed to enable the ancestors to use the offering in the spirit world.

The Importance of Ancestor

Family Ties One of the primary objectives of the Hungry Ghost Festival is to pay homage to ancestors and strengthen family ties. It acknowledges and honours the role that our ancestors played in our lives.

Cultural Preservation The festival plays a crucial role in preserving Chinese cultural heritage, particularly ancestor worship. It is an opportunity to learn about history and a reminder to honour family roots and traditions.

Filial Piety Respect and filial piety are core tenets of Chinese culture. The Hungry Ghost Festival is an occasion for the younger generation to express thanks and reverence to their older generations.

Contemporary Celebration Practices

Today, the festival has evolved, and many people have added their unique flair to the traditional celebrations. Communities organise theatrical performances, parades, and concerts. Some people also release floating lanterns on water to symbolise the release of trapped spirits and seek blessings, while others write messages on sky lanterns for their ancestors.

Some people also engage in eco-friendly celebrations, where they make homemade paper lanterns or use solar-powered lights. The trend of preparing plant-based offerings has also gained popularity, making the celebrations more sustainable and compassionate.