Did you know that China and parts of Asia have their very own Ghost Month? Ghost Month starts on August 11th – September 9th. The Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated this year on August 25th.
Above photo of Ghost Festival in Public Domain
Ghost Month begins in the 7th Lunar month. Legend cites that on the first day of Ghost Month that the gates of hell spring open and all ghosts are loose until it closes at the end of the said time of the next month. Ghost Month dates change a bit each year so one needs to check the Chinese Calendar. Eastern cultures have several festivals that honor their dead ancestors except Hungry Ghost Festival which is held to appease the spirits that have been released from the underworld. The Hungry Ghost Festival is to ease ghosts of the angry ghosts that may have been treated badly and were negelected by folks in life. These malicious spirits take their haunting seriously, the ghosts appear at night in the guise of snakes, tigers, foxes, moths and wolves. Some of these ghosts even possess an attractive person and seduce its victim. Once they take over a person’s body they can induce mental illness or a terrible disease.
Solutions:
Many artists create songs, operas and street performances to keep these uneasy spirits at bay. Several Taoists and Buddhists burn bundles of Joss sticks, food offerings, and place paper Hell bank money along roads to stop angry ghost attacks.
In order to restore the souls that perished by drowning, the river folk who dwell by the river or sea float lighted lanterns shaped in various forms such as gourds, fruit or lotus in the water. The people will trail the lanterns in the sea or river until they are out of site.
During Ghost Month, held on the 14th day of the lunar 7th month, folks bring food offerings to their family altars. This helps to appease the ghosts and stay off bad luck.
Sources & Refernces:
Buswell, Robert E (2004). Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Macmillan Reference USA. p. 21. ISBN 0028659104.
All Photos in Public Domain
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