Hungry Ghost Festival
Photo credit to Alex Lim.
Hungry Ghost Festival also known as 盂蘭節 (Yu Lan Jie) is a traditional festival celebrated by Chinese in many countries. It starts on the 15th night of the 7th lunar month and last for one whole month. It is the day where the gate of the hell open for the souls of the dead to ramble the earth for entertainment and food. They are believed to be ancestors of those who have forgotten to pay tribute to them after they had died or those who were never given a proper ritual for a send off after suffering from deaths.
There is a buddist story of a young man named Mu Lian, a favourit disciple of Buddha who saved his mother. His mother was a miserly woman who had not done any good deed in her lifetime. She would laugh at the poor, turned away beggars who came to the door asking for food and played a trick on the monks. She was a materialistic woman who only cares about herself. One day she slipped in some non-vegetarian food and offer it to the monks. She was sent to the hell for punishment.
Mu Lian who has gained magical powers on reaching a high level of knowledge of Buddist doctrines, saw his mother suffering in the hell. He saw how hard his mother swallow any food with the huge belly and mouth. He pleased the buddha for help. Buddha pointed out that only the monks of the Ten Directions could help her. Mu Lian has to prepare all kinds of food and stuff and offer it to the ancestors of the past 7 generations on the 15th day of the 7th month. His mother was saved by Mu Lian. Buddha was touched by the love Mu Lian had for her mother and so Buddha make it a pratise to offer prayers on Yu Lan Jie.
Many believers will buy fruits like oranges, food such as roasted pig, bowls of rice, chinese steamed cake to pray and burn underworld money, clothes and other incense papers on the 14th day of seven month. They will lay a table with the above food and other daily food stuff with a joss stick and a specially made flag on every items.
During the evening, incense papers are burnt in front of the doors of each household. Many believe that this will bring prosperity to their family. Some shops are closed to let the street open for the souls of the dead to ramble.
Photo credit to Wista Singapore.
The souls of the dead are also entertained by the wayang, opera and getai performance hold during the night. Many chairs are lay in front of the stage where the first rows are reserved for the souls of the dead.
Many Chinese are superstition about this festival. They believe it is bad to go swimming during this festival as the souls of the dead might pull them down and caused them drown in the pool. Children are advised to return home early and not to wander alone at night. This is to prevent the souls of the dead possess into the children body. Do not step on the burnt incense papers, you could be possessed. Weddings and business launches are not held as it may bring bad lucks. Wristling should be avoided as it may draw souls to one’s home.
At the end of the festival, people flow lotus flower-shaped water lanterns in the river to direct the souls of the dead back to the underworld. When the lanterns are out, it is believe that they have found their way back.
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