Hungry Ghost Festival

For the Chinese, the 14th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is when the gates of hell open and the dead will again walk among the living. It's the start of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

It is believed that during this time, the souls of the unborn and that of departed ancestors and friends are released from Purgatory to wander the earth for 30 days. The souls of the dead ignored by relatives may do acts of mischief, so steps must be taken to appease the spirits before they go on a rampage. Hell money, paper offerings and joss sticks are burnt to see to their material needs; food is offered so that the souls do not go hungry and thus less likely to wreck havoc.

Neighbourhood celebration dinners or zhong yuan (popularly known as getai) are held on the feast day, with auction of goods, operas and song performances being part of the festivities. The Buddhists and the Taoists have different ways of celebrating the feast. As ghosts are believed to dominate events, no auspicious activities such as such as weddings and business launches are held during this period.

It's a very solemn festival of ancestor worshiping. The festival nevertheless represents a connection between the ancestors and the descendants, the living and the dead, earth and heaven, as well as body and soul.

So what do you have for the ghost sitting next to you...?