Chinese Ghost Festival (Part 1)

Coin Operated Girl

1 July 2007

Chinese Culture

26 views

No Comment

Print This Post

Just as the West features Halloween for ghosts and ghouls, the Chinese have a holiday to honor the departed spirits of the underworld, the Chinese Ghost Festival. It is said that ghosts roam the world every year for one lunar month. In some areas of China, visitors can see small roadside fires where believers burn paper money and other offerings to appease the restless spirits that have temporarily been released from Hades. The Chinese ghost festival falls on every 14th day of the seventh month according to the lunar calendar. The ghost festival may fall on the 15th day in some other Chinese countries too; the days vary according to the different types of Chinese dialect groups. The festival is celebrated by Chinese people in many countries.

According to Chinese tradition, the seventh month is labeled as the ‘ghost month’ or gui yue as pronounced in Chinese. It is believed that things will reach a climax on the 14th or 15th day. Activities at the festival include preparing ritualistic food offerings and burning of hell money to please visiting ghosts and spirits, as well as deities and ancestors. Another activity is the burying and releasing of miniature paper boats and lanterns on water which signify “giving directions to the lost ghosts” It is a very solemn festival that represents a connection between the living and the dead, earth and heaven, as well as body and soul. The Chinese Ghost Festival is also called “Half July” (Lunar).

There are many ghosts in Chinese culture; they have been worshipped by the Chinese for a few thousand years. Even Confucius said, “Respect ghosts and gods, but keep away from them.”
While many people believe in ghosts, there are others who don’t. The Chinese people often say, “If you believe it, there will be, but if you don’t, there will not.”

The ghost is a classical image in Chinese culture. For example, a common ghost is that of a young woman whose face is covered by long black hair, who dies due to misfortune, then comes back for revenge.
The word “ghost” for many Chinese conjures up similar images. Often the ghost is a beautiful young woman. The sudden switch from a beautiful girl to a frightening ghost is striking. Seemingly fragile, helpless, and beautiful women turning into fearless killers is a favorite theme among Asian movie directors and storywriters.

Historically, families offer sacrifices of the newly harvested grain to departed ancestors on this day, which also coincides with the Buddhist Ullambana (Deliverance) Festival and the Taoist Chinese Ghost Festival. Since each of these traditions in some way honors the spirits of the departed, the seventh lunar month has come to be known as “Ghost Month” and is a time when the “Good Brethren” (ghosts from the underworld) come back to earth to feast on the victuals offered by the living. Over time the Ullambana Festival and Ghost Festival have melded together to become the present-day Chung Yuan Putu or “Mid-origin Passage to Universal Salvation.”

The Chinese believe that the dead become ghosts between heaven and earth. Spirits without descendants to care for them are summoned during the Ghost Festival so that they may also enjoy the warmth of life among the living. This custom, an extension of the traditional Chinese ethic of “universal love”, has been woven together with the didactic legend, “Moginlin Saving His Mother From Hades.” It lends the Ghost Festival a positive spin as a time for remembering the importance of filial piety. People now have accepted the precedent of releasing river light as an important activity. It is said that river light can comfort and warm homeless ghosts.

Some even think that the ghosts would seek revenge on those who had wronged them in their lives. The reason why the Chinese celebrate this festival is to remember their dead family members and pay tribute to them. They also feel that offering food to the deceased appeases them and wards off bad luck.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.