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How to Celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival

The religious observance is an important part of East Asian culture and showcases the values of the community.

When is the Hungry Ghost Festival?

How should i celebrate the hungry ghost festival.

Designed to symbolically and ritualistically appease, comfort and fulfill these spirits, there are many traditions, rituals and offerings that happen during what is known Hungry Ghost Festival — also known as the Hungry Ghosts Festival, Ghost Festival or Ghost Day.

“The Hungry Ghost Festival is considered a time of reunion and remembrance, strengthening the bond between the living and the deceased,” says Jenelle Kim , a doctor of Chinese Medicine and author of Myung Sung: The Korean Art of Living Meditation .

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The festival is an annual event observed primarily by Chinese communities in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, mainland China and regions with diasporic Chinese populations throughout the globe. The origins of the festival are rooted in both the Chinese religion and philosophy known as Taoism (also spelled Daoism), and in Buddhism, which has its roots in India. In Chinese communities, the Hungry Ghost Festival is called Zhongyuan Festival by Taoists and Yulanpen Festival by Buddhists.

Kim says, “The Hungry Ghost Festival is a religious observance and an integral part of East Asian culture. It showcases the beliefs, traditions and values of the community, fostering a sense of unity and shared identity.”

While some associate the Hungry Ghost Festival with Halloween — some call the festival “Chinese Halloween” — the main goal of the festival is venerating the dead through spiritual, symbolic and cultural rituals. Similar traditions around the world that honor the deceased include Día de los Muertos in Mexico, Chūgen and Bon in Japan, Pchum Ben in Cambodia and Sat Thai in Thailand.

What is the Hungry Ghost Festival?

While the Hungry Ghost Festival and Ghost Month are all about honoring and respecting deceased souls by paying homage through various symbolic and spiritual practices, the nuanced meaning of the holiday differs based on whether you emphasize the Taoist or Buddhist origins.

According to the National Library Board of Singapore , the Taoist tradition emphasizes the importance of appeasing and pacifying wandering souls who are released from the underworld during the Ghost Month, while the Buddhist religion underscores the importance of filial piety, which is a Confucianist virtue that values respecting one’s parents, elders and ancestors.

In Chinese Heritage in the Making: Experiences, Negotiations, and Contestations , scholar Selina Ching Chan writes that in the Chinese Buddhist tradition, the Hungry Ghost Festival is associated with the story of Mulian, which is the Chinese name for Buddha’s disciple Maudgalyâyâna. In this well-known Chinese Buddhist tale, Mulian saves his mother from punishment in hell through ritual chanting. The story has been re-enacted since the Tang and Song dynasties in China through annual local operas that are performed during Hungry Ghost Festival.

Chan writes that starting with the Song dynasty, Taoist traditions became integrated into the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Taoist tradition emphasizes the needs of hungry ghosts who have been released during Ghost Month. Opposed to peaceful spirits or one’s own family members, hungry ghosts are often those who experienced tragic or wrongful deaths.

For instance, Chan writes that the earliest performance of the Chaozhou Hungry Ghosts Festival in Hong Kong was organized by a group of migrant workers from Chaozhou. The migrants moved far from their families of origin, were unmarried, and worked dangerous jobs at the piers to make a living.

“In the [Hungry Ghost Festival] rituals, they commemorated these bachelor fellow-workers who died from industrial accidents or misfortune. It was believed that these people would become vicious ghosts if they were not properly worshiped after death,” she writes. “The Hungry Ghosts Festival was therefore meant to pacify those who died due to misfortune and to ensure that peace and order would prevail in the local community.”

“The festival is based on the belief that during the seventh month, the gates of hell are opened, and the spirits of the deceased, particularly restless and hungry spirits, are released to visit the living realm,” says Kim. “It is believed that these spirits have unfulfilled desires and seek comfort, offerings, and prayers from the living.”

The Hungry Ghost Festival takes place during a single day of Ghost Month, which is during the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, the Ghost Month corresponds approximately to August 16 to September 14, 2023 in the Gregorian calendar.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is usually held on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, though some regions celebrate it on the 14th day of the month. This year’s Hungry Ghost Festival will be held on August 30 .

People celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival through various rituals designed to honor, acknowledge and satisfy the spirits of the dead. These practices include active objects and gestures that people can offer to spirits and also superstitions and practices to avoid during Ghost Month.

“The Hungry Ghost Festival involves various rituals aimed at appeasing the hungry ghosts and providing them with offerings. People make food offerings, burn incense and joss paper and set up temporary altars or stages for performances. These offerings are meant to provide nourishment and fulfill the needs of the wandering spirits,” says Kim.

Practices to do during the Hungry Ghost Festival:

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Some people prepare food up to three times a day to offer to the hungry ghosts. By burning incense and making food sacrifices to pacify the ghosts, it is believed that the spirits will remain peaceful and satisfied. Food offerings are an important part of the holiday because the ghosts are thought to be hungry after roaming the land of the living since the beginning of Ghost Month.

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Families will often create temporary altars with photographs of their ancestors and ancestral tablets, burn incense, and host a hearty dinner with extra seats at the table to offer to souls who have passed.

Burn paper money

A common practice during Ghost Month is to burn paper money made with joss or incense paper outside a home or business, on the street, in a field, or at the temple. This burnt money is known as “ghost money,” and is a currency offering for hungry ghosts to use while they roam during Ghost Month. You can also fold the joss paper into the shape of gold ingots, a form of currency, to offer to the ghosts.

Attend performances

Street fairs and festivals are common during this time and you can often catch an opera performance of the Buddhist tale of Mulian, whose heroic rescue of his mother from hell is a paragon of filial piety.

Sail lantern boats

A common practice you may see during the Hungry Ghost Festival is the folding and floating of small boats lit with candles into a river. The body of water represents the “river of hell,” where the spirits of the dead rest. It is believed that the candles from the boats would illuminate the river, leading spirits to the light and releasing tortured or trapped souls from purgatory.

Along with things to do during the Hungry Ghost Festival and Ghost Month, you’ll want to make sure to avoid some activities that could warrant the unwanted attention of hungry ghosts. Kim says, “During the festival, certain taboos are observed to avoid attracting the attention of malevolent spirits…These customs are followed to protect oneself from unwanted spiritual encounters.”

Practices to avoid during the Hungry Ghost Festival:

Staying out late

Ghosts are known to have their strongest energy at night, so you should try to get home before dark. Children, the elderly, and pregnant people are known to be especially vulnerable during the evening.

Touching food or money offerings

You never want to take food or money that belongs to ghosts, lest you offend a spirit, so don’t touch any offerings prepared by others that you might see outside.

Hanging clothes outside

It is believed that if you hang clothes outside to dry, wandering ghosts may get caught in the loose garments and you’ll bring the spirits inside your home by accident.

One superstition is that ghosts will try to drown people in order to reincarnate themselves into living bodies. Swimming and water activities are generally avoided during Ghost Month.

Scheduling major life events

It is advised to avoid important events like weddings and surgeries, along with things like buying a new house or opening a business during the Hungry Ghost Festival and Ghost Month.

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8 Ways to Celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival in 2023

From ghost-feeding ceremonies to folding joss paper ingots, discover the vibrant traditions of this annual East Asian religious holiday.

What is the meaning behind the Hungry Ghost Festival?

How to celebrate ghost month, what to avoid during ghost month.

Known as Zhongyuan Festival in Taoism (also spelled Daoism) and Yulanpen Festival in Buddhism , the month-long celebration kicks off at the start of the seventh lunar month of the year in the Chinese calendar. During the annual event, it's believed that spirits are allowed to break free from the afterlife and roam the earthly realm. To pay tribute to the dearly departed, Buddhists and Taoists celebrate by orchestrating ghost-feeding ceremonies, folding joss paper ingots and partaking in other meaningful cultural customs designed to ease the suffering of the dead and prevent mischievous encounters with restless spirits. It's a time for people reflect on the transient nature of life, express gratitude to their ancestors, and reinforce familial bonds.

Whether you're looking for ways to celebrate with your own family or are simply hoping to deepen your understanding of this enchanting and reverent annual celebration, here's everything you need to know about the Hungry Ghost Festival.

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When is the Hungry Ghost Festival in 2023?

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the entire seventh month of the year is known as "Ghost Month." In 2023, according to the Gregorian calendar, that means Ghost Month will start around August 16 and end around September 14 .

The Hungry Ghost Festival, or "Ghost Day," is always celebrated on the 15th night of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. That means, in 2023, the date of Ghost Day is Wednesday, August 30 .

Ghost Month is an annual event celebrated primarily by Chinese communities in Asian countries including China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and Indonesia. It holds significant cultural and religious importance, and typically falls in July, August or September.

According to traditional beliefs, during this month, the gates of the afterlife are opened and the spirits of ancestors return to walk amongst the living. These wandering spirits are referred to as "hungry ghosts," since they're believed to be restless and in need of appeasement. The festival aims to honor and respect these spirits through various rituals, performances and offerings. "The Ghost Festival popular in Asian traditions is a unique way of answering our questions about death through reconnecting with the dead and their past," says Dr. Jiang Wu , an East Asian Studies professor at the University of Arizona.

One significant aspect of the festival is the practice of offering food and material possessions, like money, to the spirits. It is believed that these offerings provide comfort and sustenance to the hungry ghosts, ensuring their well-being and preventing them from causing mischief or misfortune. The festival also sees communities engage in vibrant cultural festivities and rituals dedicated to honoring one's lineage and preserving family traditions. "These rituals and ceremonies are often facilitated by Buddhist monks or Daoist priests to release the 'ghosts' of their ancestors from the suffering in hells and feed them with the symbolic food of compassion," Dr. Wu explains.

Hungry Ghost Festival celebrations and ceremonies vary from region to region. However, there are some common practices across communities. For example, on Ghost Day, "tablets of the diseased ancestors and relatives must be displayed, and rituals of venerations must be performed," according to Dr. Wu. Likewise, popular ritual operas, such as the Buddhist legend of Mulian releasing his mother from hell, are often staged.

As night falls, it's also customary to burn paper money commonly known as joss paper, along with other paper offerings for the deceased. "Paper lanterns will also be released in rivers and lakes during the night to guide the spirit of their ancestors to return to home," Dr. Wu explains. "However, the general atmosphere today is not spooky or horrifying. Rather, it has gradually evolved into a celebration of family continuity and community solidarity."

Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, founder of Miss Panda Chinese and author of First Mandarin Sounds , echoes this sentiment, adding, "In Chinese culture, Ghost Month is a cultural event — it's about paying respect to deceased family members and the deceased with no families. The festival centers around showing respect, instead of being solely perceived as a celebration, as some may think outside of the Chinese community."

Consider the following meaningful ways to pay homage to your family and ancestors during the Hungry Ghost Festival:

1. Fold joss paper ingots

In addition to burning paper money, it’s common practice to fold joss paper sheets into the shape of gold ingots, a.k.a. gold bars, which were used as currency in ancient China. It's a fun and easy craft for the whole family — just buy some joss paper sheets and check out a joss paper ingot folding tutorial online to get started.

2. Make floating lanterns

It's a tradition to float paper lanterns down a river as a way to lead spirits home during the Hungry Ghost Festival. To make your own, you'll need string, coated paper plates, and tissue paper, as well as a paper lantern tutorial to show you how it's done.

3. Create butterfly puppets

According to legend, insects like butterflies, moths, and grasshoppers are believed to be the spirits of ancestors returning for a visit. Pay tribute to these gentle creatures by having your kids create butterfly puppets using craft paper and Popsicle sticks.

4. Hang orange decorations.

In Chinese culture, oranges symbolize good luck and wealth and they're often part of the offerings during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Spruce up your home for the holiday by hanging DIY citrus fruit decorations made from paper and yarn.

5. Cook up some sticky rice dumplings.

Teochew png kueh , savory dumplings filled with stir-fried rice, peanuts, garlic, shallots, and more, are often associated with Hungry Ghost festivities. Traditionally dyed in an auspicious pink hue, these dumplings symbolize good fortune and can be presented as offerings to ancestors.

6. Attend community celebrations and performances.

Communities will typically stage operas and other types of performances throughout Ghost Month. Just make sure to leave the front row empty, as that row is typically reserved for spirits.

7. Enjoy a family dinner together.

Like many traditional Chinese holidays, the Hungry Ghost festivities may include a family dinner. However, unlike other holidays, the focus is less on the symbolism of the food and more about feeding ancestors. Simply enjoying a family meal is a great way to pay tribute (just make sure you set an extra place or two at the table for the departed).

8. Perform an appeasement ceremony.

It's tradition to set up a makeshift altar outdoors in order to display offerings for passing ghosts. In addition to joss paper, joss sticks, and incense, offerings can include uncooked rice, peanuts, candies, raw noodles, fruit, and even bags of salt and sugar. Small cups of tea and rice wine are also appreciated.

While the holiday revolves around many customs designed to display filial piety, there are also activities and practices that are considered taboo, as a way to show respect to the spirits and avoid attracting negative energy. Traditionally, some of the most common Hungry Ghost Festival taboos include:

• Swimming in rivers or going near bodies of water
• Holding weddings or other large parties that involve loud music
• Taking photographs or recording videos at night
• Moving into or buying a new home
• Disturbing or stepping on offerings
• Hanging clothes outside at night
• Watching scary movies

While some take these Ghost Month don'ts to heart, "the young generation in Chinese society no longer takes it seriously," according to Hsiung-Blodgett. Similarly, adherence may vary among different regions. If you are in doubt or wish to observe local customs, it's best to consult with local communities or seek guidance from those familiar with the traditions of the specific region.

Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan , where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent . Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé. 

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What (and When) is the Hungry Ghost Festival in China?

Updated 6/9/2022

Sherrie Johnson, BA in Liberal Studies

Contributing writer.

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The Hungry Ghost Festival in China involves a month-long tradition of honoring the dead, called the Hungry Ghost Month. Though relatives and friends celebrate the deceased all month long, several days during the month have become more important than others.

Jump ahead to these sections:

What is the hungry ghost festival in china , what’s the history behind the hungry ghost festival , when does the hungry ghost festival take place each year , popular hungry ghost festival traditions, traditional food for the hungry ghost festival, how to celebrate the hungry ghost festival in china: etiquette and tips.

Whether you take a trip to China or visit the streets of a local China town during this month, you'll see the entire population (young and old) celebrate this phantom-oriented festival.

The Chinese believe that the gates of hell (and possibly heaven) open during the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. During this time, the spirits of the dead wander the earth looking for pleasure, entertainment, and revenge against their enemies. The Chinese believe that these ghosts will create mischief of their own if they can’t find any available entertainment.

It's different from the Qingming Festival, where celebrants honor the ghosts of deceased ancestors and remember family members . The Hungry Ghost Festival involves the spirits of people that didn’t receive a proper Chinese funeral or died due to murder or suicide. The festival occurs in the middle of the month. The goal is to ward off evil intentions from hungry spirits that have been wandering the earth. 

What does it celebrate?

Commemorating death in different cultures differs widely from country to country. In China, numerous festivals celebrate the spirits of honored ancestors and family members. The Hungry Ghost Festival looks after the deceased that no one remembers or cares for. 

On the first day of the month and throughout the month, families burn fake money so the spirits have money to spend while wandering the earth. By the middle of the month, the Chinese believe that the hungry ghosts have run out of money. On the 15th day of Ghost Month, the Hungry Ghost Festival occurs.

The festival entertains the spirits and provides them with food, money, and even supplies like clothing. Along with entertainment, the festival wards off the evil intentions of any disgruntled spirits by appeasing them with gifts.

Where is it celebrated?

You’ll find the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrated in several East Asian countries, including:

Thanks to the ease of international travel, you’ll also see this celebration pop up in China towns and in other areas with a high concentration of Buddhist and Taoist believers.

Who typically celebrates it?

Those who follow the Buddhist, Taoist, and Chinese folk religions typically celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival. 

Nobody knows the exact origins of the Hungry Ghost Festival and Hungry Ghost Month. Origin stories tend to vary among Buddhists and Taoists. 

One story from the early days of Buddhism may have significantly influenced the Hungry Ghost Festival: 

Long ago, a monk named Mu Lin found out that his mother, who had died, was condemned to the underworld where she could neither eat nor drink. Mu Lin couldn't bear to see his mother hungry or tortured, so he made her a bowl of rice. However, the grains of rice turned into flaming coals and she couldn’t take a bite. She was condemned to wander as a hungry ghost!

Horrified, Mu Lin appealed directly to Buddha. Buddha told Mu Lin that only the collective prayers of Buddhists could release his mother from her fate. The next day, on the 15th, Buddha and his disciples prayed for Mu Lin’s mother. She was released as a hungry, wandering ghost.

The Hungry Ghost Festival occurs on the 15th day of the 7th Chinese lunar month. That means the festival typically falls somewhere in August or September on the Western calendar.

Wondering when the Hungry Ghost Festival will take place? Learn the dates for the next several years:

2021: August 22 2022: August 12 2023: August 30 2024: August 18 2025: September 6 2026: August 27 2027: August 16

You can take advantage of a number of interesting festivities and traditions during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Choose a few or do them all when participating with family members or friends.

Burn fake money and incense

People believe that ghosts require money and other goods once they leave. Most people like to offer fake money made from jos paper.

I n China, you might see temporary structures set up to burn piles of jos paper for the community. You’ll also see people burning piles of “money” in front of houses, on sidewalks, in fields, and in other areas where people believe ghosts will pass. 

Burn other provisions

Burning paper replicas of clothing, electronics, and other items can also ease the hungry ghosts' journey. Shops often specialize in selling all types of paper goods during Hungry Ghost Month for this purpose.

Present food offerings

People often leave food offerings on a plate outside their doors or in areas with other offerings, such as pieces of fruit, rice, tea, and sweets.

Prepare a Hungry Ghost Festival feast

On the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival, people believe that the connection between the living and dead is the closest. On this night, you can prepare a huge feast for your family and the ghost ancestors of your family. Prepare a full spread of your family’s favorite dishes and leave a few seats for your family’s ghosts and the spirits of household gods to show up.

After your family feast, you offer the feast to passing spirits. You set up a makeshift altar on the curb in front of your home and arrange plates of food from your feast for spirits. You can also burn more money or paper goods that they can take with them as they pass by your home.

Attend a Chinese opera or theatrical event

Entertainment and community celebrations are common throughout China during the month and especially around the 15th. Plan to attend one of these events which often feature opera and theatric performances. Just make sure to leave the front row of seats open! The empty seats are for the guests you can’t see.

Make a floating lantern

In Chinese belief, a floating lantern is placed on a river. This guides spirits away from your home and back to the underworld. Place a floating lantern on any body of water and watch as it floats away.

Avoid hungry ghosts (at all costs)

The Hungry Ghost Festival and Hungry Ghost Month is chock full of superstitions and traditions to avoid angry and upset ghosts:

• Don’t go out after dark unless making an offering (the night is for ghosts, not for people).
• Don’t leave the door to your house open (ghosts might come in uninvited).
• Don’t go swimming (a ghost might drown you).
• Don’t ever disturb roadside offerings (ghosts will get angry at you if you do).
• Don’t sing or whistle (ghosts might whistle back).

Follow these commonly recommended tips and you should make it through Hungry Ghost Month without encountering any otherworldly specters!

It’s only natural that the Hungry Ghost Festival would feature food! All throughout the month, the ghosts receive plenty of food from families for their ancestral ghosts and for those wandering ghosts they hope to appease. Take a look at the traditional foods you’ll most frequently see offered.

Plates of fruit

You'll often see fruit such as bananas, oranges, and other types of small fruit on makeshift altars throughout the month and during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Bowls of rice

People assume that hungry ghosts would want the foods they enjoyed while living. They place bowls of rice on altars along with fruit and the items listed below to form a food offering.

Piles of sweets

Sweets, such as small desserts, candies, and confectionaries, often join the fruit and rice offerings. Candies and other sweet items join the daily offerings of food to please hungry spirits as they pass by.

Cups of tea

Tea is also a staple in many Asian cultures and is certainly a predominant drink in China. Ghosts are bound to be hungry and thirsty. Food takes care of their hunger and tea takes care of their thirst.

Favorite foods

Families will offer sumptuous items such as cuts of meat, noodle dishes, rice dishes, desserts, fruit, and tea on makeshift altars during the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Whether you’ve celebrated this tradition with your family for years or you’re an interested Westerner celebrating with friends, take a look at a quick list of dos and don’ts.

Do take cues from those you’re with. If you’ve never celebrated before, keep an open mind and follow your friends’ lead.

Do stay inside after dark. The spirits take over at night, so those who adhere to the traditions will stay inside.

Do participate as much as you can. Ask questions if you’re unsure of something and learn as you go.

Don’ts

Don’t sit in empty rows. Invisible attendees get front-row seats in theaters and events. 

Don’t mess with altars and offerings. Not only should you not disturb offerings left out for hungry spirits (you might get a curse placed on you!), but it’s not respectful or polite.

Don’t talk about ghosts. During Hungry Ghost Festival, ghosts become a little like the elephant in the room. Everyone accepts that they’re around, but no one speaks about them directly.

Honoring Ancestors and Ghosts Unknown

The Hungry Ghost Festival honors ancient ancestors and the spirits of people unknown and unloved. Use this special time to gather with family and celebrate what matters most — caring for others.

• Radez, Wes. “Hungry Ghost Festival Traditions.” Hungry Ghost Festival Family Guide, Chinese American Family, 10 May 2020. chineseamericanfamily.com .  
• Radez, Wes. “Hungry Ghost History and Folklore.” Hungry Ghost Festival Family Guide, Chinese American Family, 10 May 2020. chineseamericanfamily.com .
• Sim, Cheryl. “Zhong Yuan Jie (Hungry Ghost Festival). Heritage and Culture, Singapore Infopedia, September 2020. eresources.nlb.gov.sg .

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Chinese Ghost Festival

Introduction.

The Ghost Festival (also known as Zhongyuan Festival by Taoists or Yu Lan Pen Festival by Buddhists) is the day to pay respects to the deceased by offering sacrifices. In Chinese culture, it is thought that all ghosts will come out from the hell on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, so the day is called the Ghost Day and the seventh lunar month is the Ghost Month . → Can You Move House During Ghost Month? →  Can You Get Married During Ghost Month? Difference between Ghost Festival and Qingming Festival In China, people also have the custom of offering sacrifices to the deceased on the Spring Festival , Qingming Festival , and Hanyi  F estival ( Hanyi Festival) . But different from these festivals, the Ghost Festival is the day that all ghosts will come out to visit the livings. Also, people only offer sacrifices to their ancestors and relatives on the above festivals, while during the Ghost Festival, besides ancestors and relatives, people will offer sacrifices to all the ghosts or spirits. So, it's also called the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Hungry Ghost Festival is regarded as the most important one among all the festivals that offering sacrifices the deceased.

History and Legend about Hungry Ghost Festival About the history and legends of the ghost festival, there are mainly three ones. The most popular one  is Mulian Rescues His Mother. Click to get to know What's the story behind the Hungry Ghost Festival?

Fast Facts about Ghost Festival:

Date of ghost festival.

In China, people think on the Ghost month, the gate of hell will open to allow the ghosts and spirits go back to the living world. During the month, those have families will visit their families and those alone will roam on the street to seek food and entertainment. Family members usually offer sacrifice to their deceased ancestors and relatives during the month and on the Ghost day. They are honored with delicious food three times a day on a table. The family’s ancestral tablets and photographs will be put on the table with incense burning near them. People also pay tribute to those unknown wandering ghosts with food and burn joss paper to please the ghosts on the 15th (some places on the 14th) day of the 7th lunar month to avoid the harm by them. Buddhists and Taoists usually perform ceremonies on the day to help the ghosts ease the sufferings. They will set altars for them and chant scriptures. Monks often throw rice or some small foods into the air to distribute them to the ghosts. On the evening of the Ghost day, people also make lanterns and float them on the river to help their relatives find their way back to home. The lanterns are usually lotus flower-shaped with light or candles. Some people also write their ancestors’ name on the lanterns.

More Traditional Chinese Festivals:

Chinese Spring Festival        Laba Festival        Lantern Festival        Dragon Heads-raising Day        Qingming Festival        Double Seventh Festival         Dragon Boat Festival           Mid-Autumn Festival        The Double Ninth Festival        Winter Solstice

Chinese Calendar

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Hungry Ghost Festival (Ghost Month 2023)

The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. It is also named Zhongyuan Festival by Taoists, or Yulanpen Festival by Buddhists. The festival falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Hungry Ghost Festival 2023 is on August 30. The Ghost Month 2023 is from August 16 to September 14.

The Chinese believe that during this period, the spirits of the ancestors roam the living realm. To appease them, people prepare food offerings and burn joss papers to honor their ancestors.

Ghost Month 2023

The Ghost Month 2023 is from August 16 to  September 14.   It is the 7th lunar month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, usually falling in August. 

Ghost Month is believed the scariest time of the year.  During this period, the gates of hell open, allowing ghosts to roam freely and indulge themselves for a month. As such, people should be cautious to avoid any encounters with these spirits.

Ghost Month Start Day ( August 16, 2023): The gates of the underworld open, and all ghosts flee the afterlife. Ghosts who have a master will return to their homes, while the masterless spirits roam the mortal realm, meandering everywhere as they search for sustenance.

Ghost Month End Day (September 14, 2023) : The gates of Hell close once more, causing the spirits to return to their spiritual realm.

Ghost Day ( August 30, 2023): Known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, it's believed that ghosts are most active on this day. Chinese people burn incense and provide offerings to appease hungry ghosts, in order to prevent them from causing harm.  

Chinese people take care of the ghosts by paying respect to their ancestors and entertaining wandering spirits. Celebrations are held on the start and end dates of Ghost Month, with festivities reaching their peak on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month - the Ghost Hungry Festival Day). 

During Ghost Month, misfortunes such as poor health, property loss, and bad luck for families tend to increase. Consequently, people pay close attention and remain vigilant throughout the month.

It is wise to avoid making major decisions during this time. Initiating a new business or moving into a new house within the month is considered inauspicious.

Top 5 Hungry Ghost Festival Dos - How Do Chinese Celebrate the Festival?

1. Honoring ancestors for good blessings . People Put the family’s ancestral tablets and photographs on the home altar. They will tell what's been happening to their ancestors on their knees. They hope they can receive a blessing from their ancestors in this way.

2. Offering food to the ghosts :   Prepare food offerings three times a day, including three bowls of rice, three sets of chopsticks, and three cups of wine for the offering. Meats, fruits, and sweets are also common. Food offerings are placed on the altar for the ancestors first, and then taken outside for homeless ghosts.

3. Burning incense, Joss papers, and red candles:  Burn incense, Joss papers, red candles, and other items to please the ghosts. Paper effigies may include fancy cars, big houses, smartphones, and even gaming devices. These items are burned at home, outside the home, at bridges, or in fields. Chinese people believe ghosts will enjoy more prosperity with more paper effigies burned.

4. Holding live performances for wandering souls : The performances are free and always held at night for the entertainment of ghosts. The first and second rows of the seats are always left vacant, as they are specially reserved for the VIP unseen ghosts. 

5. Floating water lanterns：  People float water lanterns in rivers and lakes to dispel ill fortune and pray for blessings. The hungry ghosts will follow the lanterns back to their spiritual realm, carrying away bad luck at the same time.

12 Major Hungry Ghost Festival Don’ts

How can you avoid any potential encounters with ghosts during the festival? Here are 10 major don'ts to help you stay safe.

1 . Don’t stay out too late at night.  This is especially important for children, elders, and pregnant women. During the festival, ghosts are at their strongest at night due to the Yin (阴) energy. It is wise to return home before sunset.

2.  Don't do any water activities . Water ghosts will look for victims to reincarnate on the day and may try to drown people in the water. Stay away from water activities during Ghost Month.

3.  Don't touch food offerings : The offerings by the roadside or in fields are prepared for ghosts. Touching or stepping on the offerings could 'offend' the ghosts.

4.  Don't pick up money on the street : The money is meant to bribe the guards of hell. Taking the money may offend them

5.  Avoid wearing red or black clothing : These two colors are particularly enticing to ghosts and can attract unwanted attention.

6.  Don't hang clothes outside at night : Wandering ghosts may try on the clothes, and then be inadvertently brought inside along with the clothes.

7.  Avoid scheduling major life events like moving to a new house, weddings, business openings, and medical operations.

8. Don't kill butterflies, especially those that enter your home, as they're believed to be visiting spirits.

9.   Don't open an umbrella indoors : Wandering ghosts seek shelter on this day, and opening an umbrella indoors could be seen as an invitation for them.

10.  Don't stick your chopsticks vertically into your bowl , as gods or ghosts may mistake it for an offering. This is because, during regular rituals, chopsticks are often inserted into offerings.

11.  Don't hang wind chimes at home.  While many enjoy the pleasant sound of wind chimes, caution is necessary during the Ghost Festival (7th lunar month). As ghosts are known to wander and be drawn to the sound, this can lead to unwelcome spiritual encounters. It's recommended to remove any wind chimes from your home during this time.

12.  Don't take photos during the festival,  as cameras might accidentally capture unintended sightings.

Hungry Ghost Festival Legends

Chinese celebrated the festival since the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). The spirits and ghosts return to roam the earth during ghost month. Those who had relatives would return home to visit the living. Their family members offer prayers, food, and drinks for them. For the homeless ghosts, no one feeds them properly. Thus they will wander around and bring potential harm and misfortunes to the living.

Taoists and Buddhists perform special ceremonies and traditions to honor the spirits of ancestors  and to protect against ghosts’ attacks . People believe the dead ancestors can bless and protect them during the festival in this way.

Hungry Ghost Festival in Other Asian Counties

Singapore and malaysia.

 The Ghost (Hungry Ghost) Festival 2023 in Singapore and Malaysia will take place on August 21st. The Ghost Month will last from August 12 to September 9, 2023.

Singaporeans and Malaysian please the ghosts with live performances. The activity will last the whole seventh month of the lunar calendar. The shows include Chinese operas, songs, dances, and so on. Show times are from 8:00 at night to 12.00 AM midnight. Don’t sit in the seats in the first row; they are left empty for the ghosts.

In Japan, the Ghost Festival is also known as Oben Festival. It is a traditional Buddhist custom to remember the ancestors. The festival lasts for three days, from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month.

Japanese observed the festival at different times in different regions depending on calendars. On the first day, people will hang lanterns in front of houses to guide the ghosts back home. On the last day, floating lanterns are put into rivers to guide the ghosts back to their world.

In Thailand, the ghost festival, known as the Por Tor (Hungry Ghost) Festival or Sart Chin, is celebrated in some parts of the country, particularly in Phuket. In 2023, the Por Tor Festival is expected to take place around August 21st. 

Related Traditional Chinese Festivals

• Top 10 Traditional Festivals in China
• Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)
• Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang Festival)

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Hungry ghost festival: paying tribute to ancestors by burning paper.

Hungry Ghost Festival gift guide

What do you feed a hungry ghost?

If you live in parts of Asia, dim sum, noodles and even iPhones – all carefully constructed from paper – may do the trick.

The Hungry Ghost Festival , a month-long ancient tradition that pays respect to the spirits of the dead, is celebrated across many parts of Chinese Asia on the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

During the festival, ghosts are believed to return to Earth to haunt the living and people burn paper money and food – as well as incense – to pay respect to their ancestors and soothe wandering spirits.

Throughout the month, many communities host celebrations, hand out rice to people in need and stage traditional Chinese operas on temporary bamboo stages for people – both the living and the dead – to enjoy.

The underworld celebration reaches its peak with the Yu Lan Ji festival held in many parts of China, Singapore and Malaysia on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month – in 2016 that’s August 17.

On this night, the ghosts that have been roaming the Earth for two weeks are believed to be hungry, so people burn food, money and even luxury goods to make sure their ancestors, and any lonely spirits without a family, are cared for.

These paper items are often beautifully presented and constructed in minute detail.

Bowls of individual dim sum, crafted from paper of course, are carefully garnished and presented with accompaniments.

Luxury goods like iPhones, houses, designer handbags and flashy cars have also become increasingly popular in recent years.

Hong Kong: Insider Travel Guide

CNN spoke to a Hong Kong resident to find out what the event means to him.

Calvin Wong, a university professor, has been celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival since childhood.

CNN: What are you buying?

I’m buying luxury handbags. I also bought some smartphones, jewelry, and iPhones.

Who are the items for?

They’re for my ancestors – parents – sorry, I mean for my grandparents. My parents are alive.

Can you explain the symbolism behind some of these items?

The lotus means purity, and bamboo means long life. Some of these Chinese objects mean good fortune, and the birds are for longevity as well.

They are both for the deceased and for living people. These airplanes, houses, yacht, iPhones are all recent trends. I didn’t have these when I was young.

What do you do during this month of the festival? What other traditions do you practice?

Well, we burn incense on the street.

And there are basically two reasons: For the ancestors who passed away, and also for anonymous spirits who had no siblings or children.

That’s why Chinese people burn things for them to give comfort to the wandering spirits.

In my family, we also get fresh leaves, like Lotus leaves, to wash our body to purify ourselves after visiting spiritual ceremonies and funerals. We don’t want those wandering spirits to follow us back home.

What’s the meaning of this festival? What traditions are usually practiced? What’s your earliest memory?

The first reason [we celebrate this festival] is to pay respect to the ancestors and another reason is to provide charity for wandering spirits.

I guess I’ve been doing this since I was a child, 5 to 6 years old. I used to do this with my grandparents. They passed away 10 years ago.

There are lots of interesting memories about the Hungry Ghost Festival. For example, I remember going to see lots of Chinese operas and they usually serve free congee [a type of rice porridge] and fruit as charity. And my parents used to buy candies for me.

You are actually supposed to leave the first row empty on the first night of the opera performance because that’s for the ghosts.

What would you like in the afterlife?

A pint of beer would be nice.

And they really should burn me a bank. The entire bank. HSBC headquarters would be wonderful!

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What Is Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival?-Zhong Yuan Jie

There are several traditional Chinese festivals that are characterized by diverse styles and themes which reflect Chinese practices along with the history of China and its people. Each festival has its own unique origin and customs, and they play an important role in defining China’s history and culture. Along with that, there is a very close relationship between the Chinese Traditional Festivals , the Chinese calendar, and the 24 solar terms . One of the most popular festivals is the Ghost festival, which is the most important festival of hungry ghost month. Read on to learn more about its history, origin, and how it is celebrated.

What is Hungry Ghost Festival?

The Hungry Ghost Festival is considered one of the most important festivals of Ghost Month, which is the 7th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar . It is commemorated on the fifteenth day of Ghost month, and this day often falls in either July or August. In some parts of China especially Southern China , the Hungry Ghost Festival is observed on the 14th day of Ghost Month. It is believed that the people in Southern China started celebrating the Ghost festival a day earlier during warfare to avoid attacks by their enemies on an unlucky day. That said, the Ghost Festival just like other special festivals such as the Double Ninth Festival , the Qingming Festival , and the Spring Festival , is simply celebrated to worship the ancestors.

The Chinese believe that the ghosts of their ancestors are let out of hell when Ghost month begins and the ghosts are more prevalent and aggressive during the Hungry Ghost Festival.  For thousands of years, Ghost month has been considered the scariest month of the year and during this time the Chinese try as much as possible to avoid any implicative situations. For example, the Chinese avoid swimming for fear of drowning and they try to avoid being alone at night because they believe that this is when enemy ghosts can come after them. Also, the Chinese believe that these ghosts are very angry and malicious and are on the hunt for their enemies. For this reason, the Chinese came up with unique traditions about how to control the ghost situation on the first day when they are let out of hell, on the Hungry Ghost Festival day, and on the last day of Ghost month when the ghosts return to their home.

why Chinese celebrate hungry ghost festival ?

The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival or the Ghost Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival that is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. It is believed that during this time, the gates of the underworld are opened, and the spirits of the dead are allowed to return to the human world to seek food and offerings from the living.

The origins of the festival can be traced back to the ancient Chinese belief in the afterlife and the importance of ancestral worship. The festival is based on the belief that the dead need to be appeased and provided for in order to ensure good fortune and avoid misfortune for the living.

During the festival, people make offerings of food, incense , and paper money to the spirits of their ancestors and to other wandering spirits that may be seeking offerings. It is believed that these offerings will help to appease the hungry ghosts and prevent them from causing harm to the living.

The festival is also marked by various rituals and ceremonies, including the burning of incense and the lighting of lanterns. Many people also attend performances of traditional Chinese opera or other forms of entertainment, which are believed to please the spirits and bring good luck.

While the festival is primarily focused on ancestral worship and the appeasement of wandering spirits, it is also seen as a time for reflection and introspection. Many people use the festival as an opportunity to contemplate their own mortality and to reflect on the importance of family and community.

When does Hungry Ghost Festival end?

As mentioned earlier, the Chinese honor the memories of the deceased every year, for a month. The Ghost month lands on the 7th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the ghosts are let out immediately after the month begins. The Ghost Festival, which is celebrated on the 14th day of Ghost month in Southern China and on the 15th day of Ghost month in other parts of China, then lasts for 14 days until the ghosts return to their homes, and a new month is ushered in.

Chinese ghost festival meaning

The Zhongyuan Festival, known as the “Ghost Festival” or “Seventh Month Festival” in Taoism , is an important traditional holiday in Chinese culture. It originates from ancient ancestral worship and related rituals, where people express their respect and remembrance for their ancestors through various ceremonial activities.

The customs of the Zhongyuan Festival vary due to regional and cultural differences, but they all reflect people’s reverence and remembrance for their ancestors. Ancestor worship is one of the most significant customs of the Zhongyuan Festival. People offer new rice, paper money, and other items to their ancestors, reporting the success of the autumn harvest and expressing gratitude for their blessings. Additionally, releasing river lanterns, performing ceremonies for deceased spirits, burning spirit money, and honoring the Earth deity are also traditional practices during the Zhongyuan Festival.

In Buddhism , the Zhongyuan Festival is known as the “Ullambana Festival,” considered a cultural tradition to honor ancestors. Taoism also views the Zhongyuan Festival as an important holiday, commemorating the founder of Taoism, Laozi .

The Zhongyuan Festival holds a significant place in the traditional culture of the Chinese nation and is one of the major occasions for ancestral worship. In May 2010, the “Zhongyuan Festival (Chaozhou Yulan Festival)” declared by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, underscoring the festival’s importance in cultural preservation.

Chinese ghost festival Origin

The Zhongyuan Festival, known as the “Ghost Festival” or “Seventh Month Festival” in Taoism, is an important traditional holiday in Chinese culture. It originates from ancient ancestral worship and related rituals, where people express their respect and remembrance for their ancestors through various ceremonial activities.

In the “Yijing” (Book of Changes), the number “ seven ” is a symbol of change and rebirth. It is associated with the concept of cycles and regeneration. The “Yijing” states: “Repeatedly returning to its path, within seven days it returns. This is the movement of heaven.” The number seven is related to the sun, representing the time it takes for the sun’s energy to be renewed after it has diminished. It signifies the cyclic nature of yin and yang , the balance between opposing forces.

In Taoism, the Zhongyuan Festival is considered a commemoration of the founder of Taoism, Laozi. It is also known as the “Day of the Middle of the Year” or “Zhongyuan Jie.” In Buddhism, the festival is known as the “Ullambana Festival,” focused on the salvation of wandering spirits. Both Taoist and Buddhist elements have influenced the festival’s traditions and meanings.

The festival’s customs have evolved over time, blending elements from folk beliefs, Taoism, and Buddhism. It’s important to note that the association of the “Ghost Festival” with the seventh lunar month, or “Seventh Month Festival,” is a result of the fusion of these cultural influences. The festival encompasses practices of ancestor veneration, offering respect to deceased spirits, and seeking blessings and protection from the spiritual realm . The intricate interplay between Taoism, Buddhism, and local traditions has contributed to the multifaceted nature of the Zhongyuan Festival.

Hungry ghost festival History and Origin

As a Taoist festival that was greatly valued in the Tang dynasty and popularly known as the Zhongyuan Festival , the Chinese at the time believed that the gates of hell were opened on the first day of Ghost month. The hungry ghosts are then released to take revenge on anyone who has behaved badly throughout the year and has been blacklisted on the Taoist records. The hungry ghosts would also be searching for food, and drinks and needed to make merry. During this time, the Taoists had to chant together to free the ghosts.

As a Buddhist festival, the Ghost Festival draws its origin story from the Mahayana scripture known as the Yulanpen. According to this scripture, Maudgalyayana (one of the disciples that accompany the Buddha) used his powers to search for his parents and he found out that his deceased mother had been sent to the realm of hungry ghosts. In an attempt to help his mother who was in a deprived state, Maudgalyayana tried to feed his mother a rice bowl but she couldn’t eat it as it turned into burning coal. He then asked the Buddha to help him out. Upon his request, Buddha explained to him that he could only assist his parents by willingly offering them food on the 15th day of the 7th month when the hungry ghosts come out. Since then, the festival has been observed in China with respect to the deceased.

hungry ghost festival story

The Hungry Ghost Festival is an important event in Chinese culture, and its origins can be traced back to a number of different stories and legends. Here is one story that is often told about the festival:

The story begins with a man named Mulian, who was a disciple of the Buddha. One day, Mulian decided to use his powers to look into the underworld, where he saw his own mother suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts. Mulian was filled with grief and despair, and he begged the Buddha to help his mother.

The Buddha told Mulian that the spirits of the dead are only able to eat offerings that are made by the living. He instructed Mulian to make offerings to the spirits on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, which is when the spirits are believed to be most active. Mulian followed the Buddha’s instructions and made offerings to the spirits, including food, incense, and paper money.

To his great relief, Mulian was able to see his mother again, and he offered her the food and other offerings he had prepared. However, Mulian’s mother was unable to eat the food, as her ghostly body was too insubstantial. Mulian was heartbroken, but the Buddha came to him again and told him that he could help his mother by performing good deeds and making offerings on her behalf.

Inspired by the Buddha’s words, Mulian set out to do good deeds and make offerings to the spirits of the dead. He also began to spread the word about the importance of making offerings to the spirits, and over time, this tradition became known as the Ghost Festival.

Hungry Ghost Festival Food

The Chinese believe that the hungry ghosts released from hell during Ghost month are often in search of merriment, food, and other worldly pleasures. For this reason, food is at the center of the festivities during the 15th day of Ghost Month.

During the festival, you may find about three sets of chopsticks , three bowls of rice, and three bowls of Chinese tea on Ghost Festival altars. The number 3 is very symbolic during this time as it represents the underworld, the realm of heaven and earth. Besides that, other essential food offerings during this time are large plates of raw noodles , uncut meats ( fish , pork, chicken , or beef), rice wine , candy , and fruits such as pineapples, Chinese lettuce, and peanuts , among others.

How is the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrated?

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, there are several temple ceremonies where the monks organize various festive activities. There are also street and market ceremonies where people gather around to celebrate. All activities carried out on this day are designed to appease the ghosts and avoid their wrath and spiritual attacks.

The main ceremony is held at dusk and during this time; people take time to put out plates of food on the table and sometimes leave a place open at the table for any lost ancestors. Also, the Chinese prepare food 3 times on that day and put the family’s ancestral tablets, photographs, and old paintings on the table then burn incense right next to them. In addition to that, there are three other important activities carried out to celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival. These are;

Floating River Lanterns

To celebrate the Hungry Ghost festival, the Chinese people put a light or a candle on a lamp stand and float it on rivers on the night of the 14th/15th day of the 7th month. They make colorful river lanterns out of paper and wood and then write their ancestors’ names on the lanterns . These river lanterns are also known as lotus lanterns and they believe that doing this helps the ghosts of their loved ones reincarnate. They also believe that the ghosts of those who were wrongly accused can follow the floating river lanterns away and reincarnate instead of suffering too much in hell.

Burning paper ‘money’

On the first day of the Ghost month, the Chinese burn paper money outside their businesses or homes, in the fields, or along the sides of the road. Sometimes, they even go to the temple, so that they can burn make-believe paper money on the Hungry Ghost Festival altars. Generally, the Chinese believe that paper money actively enables their deceased family members and ancestors to have all the money and things they would need in the afterlife. Also, they believe that by burning fake money, they are able to repay any debts the deceased may have accrued when on earth and wasn’t able to pay it back in good time. They do all this to ward off evil and prevent frustrating the ancestors and other angry ghosts.

Sending Goat

One of the most popular traditions during the Hungry Ghost Festival is sending goats. Chinese custom during this time requires that one of the uncles or a grandfather on the mother’s side send a live and healthy goat to his nephew or grandson. Aside from being the best sacrificial animals in China , goats are a symbol of abundance and health. So, by sending goats to other family members, it communicates a message of health and wards off evil.

hungry ghost festival customs

In Hebei Province:

In Botou City and Nanpi County, on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, people bring fruits, dried meat, wine , and paper money to their ancestors’ graves for worship. They also carry hemp stalks to the fields as an offering, known as “offering the new.” In Guangping County, people offer fresh food to their ancestors and prepare fruits, vegetables, and steamed mutton to give to their grandchildren, known as “sending the lamb.” In Qinghe County, on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, people visit the graves for worship and offer steamed mutton to their daughters.

In Shanxi Province:

In Yonghe County, scholars offer worship to the God of Scholars (魁星) on this day. In Changzi County, shepherds hold a sheep-slaughtering competition on the occasion of the Mid-Yuan Festival, believing it can increase sheep production. They also give meat to relatives and friends. If a family is too poor to afford a sheep, they steam dough into the shape of a sheep as a substitute. In Yangcheng County, rural families create paper cats, tigers, and figures of grains using wheat bran and fresh grass. These are then set up in the fields as offerings in a ritual called “walking the fields.” In Mayi County, people make figures out of wheat dough in the shape of children, known as “dough figures,” and exchange them among relatives’ homes. In Xinzhou, villagers hang colorful paper flags in the fields on this day.

In Henan Province:

In Shangqiu County, during the worship of the Land Deity (地官) on the Mid-Yuan Festival, people hang paper flags at their doorways, believing it can prevent insects. In Mengjin County, people fly kites during the Mid-Yuan Festival. In Jia County, people draw a gray circle in front of their doors on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month and burn paper figures within it as an offering to ancestors.

In Shandong Province:

In Changdao, fishermen create small boats from wooden boards and stick a paper note reading “For use by [Name]” on them. These boats are set adrift in the water, symbolizing the transportation of souls across realms. In Zhanhua County, people build “hemp houses” using hemp stalks and fresh leaves, where they place ancestral tablets for worship. In Dezhou, Ling County, the Mid-Yuan Festival is known as “Pinching Mouth Festival.” People eat plain food on this day.

In Shaanxi Province:

In Lintong County, people burn paper offerings to the mythological figure Magu on the Mid-Yuan Festival. In Chenggu County, rural households hold a banquet known as “hanging hoes” to celebrate the festival. In Yang County, farmers go to the fields in the morning of the Mid-Yuan Festival, choose the tallest and most vigorous rice ears, and hang them with multicolored paper flags, known as “field flags.”

In Jiangsu Province:

In Wuxi County, people use tin foil to fold ingots, which are then burned as offerings. This practice is known as “binding ghost affinity.” In Yizheng County, a paper ghost figure is popular, containing a bowl lamp inside. They hold a feast and invite 24 old women to participate in the rituals, known as “Twenty- Four Walks.”

In Zhejiang Province:

In Jiashan County, during the Mid-Yuan Festival, people release floating lamps on water to guide wandering spirits. These lamps are made of paper and have various shapes, and they are believed to lead lost souls to the offerings and incense. In Tianzhu County, a similar tradition of worshiping ancestors and sending off wandering spirits is practiced.

In Guangdong Province:

In southern China, people observe the tradition of worshiping ancestors on the 14th day of the seventh lunar month. Both the rich and the poor prepare food, candles , and paper money as offerings to their ancestors to show their remembrance. This day is known as “the 14th of the seventh month.” People also engage in the practice of “water lamps,” releasing lamps on water to guide spirits.

In Guangxi Province:

In Guilin, people hold a series of rituals from the 7th day to the 14th night of the seventh lunar month to welcome and send off ancestors. They float paper boats and burn offerings to guide spirits. The day is known as “the Ghost Gate is open,” and it’s believed that spirits can freely roam between realms during this time.

In Hubei Province:

In Macheng, people slaughter livestock and gather with relatives to burn paper money and offer worship to ancestors around the 12th to 15th days of the seventh lunar month. This is known as “sending the old guests.”

On the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Water Lantern Festival is celebrated in Thailand. People release sky lanterns to pray for the souls of the departed.

The Obon Festival, also known as the “Ullambana” festival in Japan, originated from China during the Tang dynasty and was introduced to Japan during the Asuka period. The festival lasts from the 13th to the 16th of July in urban areas and from the 13th to the 16th of August in rural areas. Activities include cleaning graves before the 13th, welcoming ancestral spirits on the 13th, and sending them off on the 16th. There is a custom of giving gifts to the spirits, and people gather to perform a dance known as “Bon Odori,” which involves intricate hand movements similar to today’s Para Para dance. The Obon Festival holds significant importance in Japan and is considered a major holiday, second only to New Year ’s Day. Companies often grant a week-long vacation known as “Obon holiday,” during which many Japanese working away from home return to their hometowns for family reunions and ancestral rites.

North Korea:

The Middle of the Seventh Month Festival, also known as the “Bae Chil” or “Baek Jung” Festival, is a traditional holiday in North Korea. It has its roots in the Chinese Taoist and Buddhist Ullambana festivals and has developed its own unique characteristics in North Korea. While the festivals in China and Japan emphasize ancestor worship and appeasing spirits, the North Korean Middle of the Seventh Month Festival retains a focus on celebrating the autumn harvest and agrarian festivities, with ancestor worship and remembrance as secondary aspects.

In the Chinese communities of Singapore, besides the traditional customs of ancestor worship and offerings during the Ghost Month, there is a unique entertainment activity known as the “Seventh Month Opera” or simply “Opera.” This involves setting up temporary stages in open spaces with decorations such as sound systems and lighting. Rows of chairs are placed for the audience, with the front row typically left empty for the “good brothers” (spirits). Performances include comedic skits, magic tricks, and lively dances, and these opera performances occur throughout the entire seventh lunar month.

In the Chinese communities of Malaysia, the Middle of the Seventh Month Festival, also known as “Yu Lan Sheng Hui” or “Qing Zan Zhong Yuan,” involves not only traditional performances and rituals for ancestral spirits but also a unique entertainment activity to amuse the spirits. Similar to Singapore, a form of opera culture called “Tai Chor” exists, and it shares similarities with Singapore’s opera culture.

Ancestral Worship:

People believe that during the middle of the seventh lunar month, ancestors return to visit their descendants. Thus, ancestral worship is conducted as an expression of traditional values like honoring one’s roots and showing gratitude to ancestors. The ceremonies take place around the mid of July, coinciding with the autumn harvest season, symbolizing the sharing of bountiful crops with ancestors. During normal days, ancestor worship involves lighting incense, but during the “Ghost Month,” ancestors’ tablets are respectfully placed on special altars with offerings of incense and tea served three times a day.

Burning Paper Offerings:

The most prominent ritual during the Middle of the Seventh Month Festival is the burning of paper offerings. It is believed that the paper in the living world becomes money in the afterlife, so people burn paper offerings to provide money for their deceased ancestors. When burning offerings at graves, a few pieces of paper are often left behind, which are then burned at crossroads to offer alms to homeless wandering spirits, preventing them from robbing the money intended for their ancestors.

Other Practices:

The festival includes various practices like burning incense and setting off firecrackers on the fourteenth or fifteenth night, as well as offerings to the land and crops. Paper strips in different colors are wrapped around the ears of crops after burning paper offerings, believed to protect them from hail and ensure a bountiful autumn harvest.

Wishing for Abundance:  The festival’s rituals are closely associated with praying for a bountiful harvest. On a night known as “Shi Gu,” households burn incense to pray for abundant rice harvests, and branches of incense are inserted into the ground, symbolizing the prosperity of the rice harvest.

Eating Duck: Many regions across the country choose to eat duck during the Middle of the Seventh Month, as ducks are associated with water, which connects to the concept of crossing over spirits using water lanterns. There is also a play on words with “duck” and “pressure,” suggesting that eating duck suppresses or pacifies the spirits. In some places like Dongguan, people often eat duck cooked with lotus root.

Sky Lantern Dancing:  In areas like Tiandeng, Guangxi, during the Middle of the Seventh Month, the tradition of sky lantern dancing takes place. Originally involving superstitious activities to welcome deities and repel plague spirits, it has evolved into a folk sports event. The activity takes place on a flat field, with 72 small bowls filled with oil arranged in 9 rows. Lanterns are lit, and participants wear masks and carry instruments like wooden fish , small drums, gongs , and cymbals. Dancing follows a rhythmic pattern among the lanterns, creating a captivating scene resembling a dragon dance in the starlit night.

Releasing Water Lanterns: A custom during the Middle of the Seventh Month involves releasing water lanterns. Lanterns are placed on floating bases, and on the night of the festival, they are set afloat on rivers, lakes , or the sea to drift away with the currents.

“Releasing Flames” Ritual: An important activity during the Obon Festival involves “releasing flames.” “Flames” refer to hungry ghosts in Buddhist cosmology. This activity aims to offer food to wandering spirits and provide offerings for them. The ritual involves chanting and performing rites by monks, followed by the sprinkling of rice and clean water to offer sustenance to the spirits.

Water Lanterns for Solitary Spirits:  Water lanterns, also known as “lotus lanterns,” are placed on floating bases with lit candles or small lamps. These lanterns are released into rivers, lakes, and seas, allowing them to float and drift away. This custom has roots in the practice of lighting lanterns during the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival) and has evolved into a joyful activity in modern times.

Wishing for Abundance: One of the goals of releasing water lanterns is to offer prayers for abundance and blessings. The act of lighting lanterns and allowing them to drift away symbolizes guiding spirits to a better realm and bringing good fortune and prosperity to the living world.

what happens during the ghost festival ?

The festival is believed to be a time when the spirits of the dead are allowed to return to the human world to seek offerings from the living. Here is a breakdown of what happens during the Ghost Festival:

One of the key elements of the Ghost Festival is the making of offerings to the spirits of the dead. These offerings typically consist of food, incense, and paper money, which are burned as offerings to the spirits. It is believed that these offerings will appease the hungry ghosts and prevent them from causing harm to the living.

Ghost Month:

The Ghost Festival is just one part of a larger period of time known as the Ghost Month. This month-long period is believed to be a time when the spirits of the dead are particularly active and when the living should be especially careful to avoid angering or offending them. During this month, many people avoid taking long trips or making major life changes, as it is believed that doing so could invite bad luck or the wrath of the spirits.

Burning Incense:

Another important aspect of the Ghost Festival is the burning of incense. Many people burn incense as an offering to the spirits, with the smoke from the incense being believed to help guide the spirits to the offerings. It is also believed that the scent of the incense will help to soothe the spirits and make them less likely to cause mischief or harm.

Lighting Lanterns:

The Ghost Festival is also marked by the lighting of lanterns, which are believed to help guide the spirits back to the underworld. These lanterns may be simple paper lanterns, or they may be more elaborate and ornate, with intricate designs and decorations.

Performances:

In many parts of China, the Ghost Festival is also marked by performances of traditional Chinese opera or other forms of entertainment. These performances are believed to be a way to please the spirits and bring good luck, and they are often attended by large crowds of people.

Ghost Marriage:

In some parts of China, the Ghost Festival is also associated with the tradition of ghost marriage. This tradition involves marrying off the spirits of unmarried dead people in order to provide them with companionship in the afterlife. While the tradition has fallen out of favor in many parts of China, it is still practiced in some areas.

Hungry Ghost Festival Taboo

1.Avoid discussing ghosts and supernatural beings on this day. It is said that ghosts come out in droves, especially in temples and places where ceremonies are held. It is also best to avoid talking too much during the Ghost Festival, as ghosts may be passing by you.

2.Do not walk on dark or deserted roads. Do not stay outside after 11 PM. This day is known for its ghosts and evil spirits, and it is best to avoid being outside and not returning home at night is a major taboo.

3.Avoid carrying items that attract ghosts, such as bells, wind chimes, or playing the Ouija board. These items can easily attract unwanted entities and negative energy.

4.Do not pick up money or touch offerings left for the ghosts. These items are meant for the spirits, and taking them without their consent can bring bad luck and misfortune.

5.Avoid taking pictures at night. Mirrors and phones can capture unclean entities, and taking pictures at night can attract negative energy.

6.Do not step on burnt offerings or paper money left for the ghosts. These offerings are meant for the spirits, and stepping on them can offend them and bring bad luck.

7.Do not touch or pat someone’s shoulder or head. It is believed that humans have three spiritual flames on their body, and touching or patting them can extinguish these flames, making them vulnerable to negative energy.

8.Do not swim in water bodies during the Ghost Festival. Ghosts and evil spirits are known to roam freely on this day, and swimming in water bodies can make one vulnerable to their negative influence.

9.Women on their menstrual cycle should avoid certain activities such as ceremonies, as they are believed to be impure and vulnerable to negative energy.

10.Do not hang wet clothes outside during the night. Wet clothes can attract negative energy and spirits, making them vulnerable to their influence.

11.Avoid sleeping with your hair unkempt during the Ghost Festival. This can make you appear like a ghost to other spirits and attract them towards you.

12.Do not whistle at night. Whistling is believed to attract the attention of ghosts and is considered bad luck.

Significance of the Ghost Festival

From the legends associated with the Ghost Month, we can deeply understand the dual significance of the festival. Firstly, it upholds the virtue of filial piety by honoring and remembering ancestors. Secondly, it promotes the principles of empathy and philanthropy, encouraging acts of kindness and charity towards others. These aspects are driven by a compassionate perspective and carry a strong sense of human compassion. Thus, while celebrating the Middle of the Seventh Month and paying respects to the spirits, it is important to transcend the focus on ghosts and emphasize the importance of mutual love.

In terms of cultural significance, the Middle of the Seventh Month is also one of the traditional Chinese ancestor worship festivals, reflecting a deep-seated belief system. The festival holds the essence of intangible cultural heritage, embodying a culture that reveres ancient traditions while remaining relevant in the modern context. This tradition embodies the ancient concept of “honoring the past and cherishing the distant,” with its core cultural value lying in the acts of showing reverence to ancestors and fulfilling filial piety.

Hungry Ghost Festival vs. Halloween

The Hungry Ghost Festival is perhaps one of the most popular Halloween-related festivals in China and it is celebrated at the time of the year when the moon is full.

According to the Chinese, there is a bridge between the dead and the living on the night of the full moon. For this reason, they try as much as possible to take precautions that prevent them from finding themselves in a compromising situation that may cost their lives. Also, the Chinese find all possible ways to honor the dead by lighting floating river lanterns, burning paper money, and sending goats. All these activities and traditions are done to protect themselves from pranks and attacks by angry ghosts, to honor famous people from the past, and to worship their long-dead ancestors. They believe that by appeasing the ghosts, they can help protect them every other day.

Halloween or the Night of the Dead, on the other hand, originated from the traditional holiday of Celts in Great Britain. The Celts believed that the last day of October was the ‘ghost day’ or ‘the day of the dead. Further, they believed that on that particular day, the ghosts often crossed over the boundary between the living and the dead. Halloween, however, is currently characterized by dressing up as ghosts, and trick-or-treating.

Final Thoughts

The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the most important and intriguing festivals in China. The Chinese perform several rituals during this time, and the rituals are meant to welcome the spirits and alleviate them from any kind of suffering they may have gone through in the underworld.

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What is chinese folk religion-14 types, what does red mean in chinese culture, what does 555 mean in chinese, about the author.

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Hungry Ghost Festival (History, Legends, Activities, and Things to Avoid )

• 28 August 2023

Many Chinese festivals and traditions are emphasizing ancestral veneration.

The Chinese, as well as other Eastern cultures like Japanese and Koreans really venerated those who passed before. For them, death is just a transformation, as the spirit of the dead keeps living in another world. Meaning the Chinese believe that their ancestors are still watching them, and in fact, many believed that the ancestors can protect their children and even bestow them with good luck.

With that being said, the Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the Chinese major festivals that is focused on venerating the ancestors, just like other festivals like the famous Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Festival) and the Double Ninth Festival. 

The Hungry Ghost Festival is also known as the Zhongyuan Festival ( 中元節), and is celebrated every 15th day of the 7th month. As with any other Chinese Festivals, this festival is celebrated based on the Chinese Lunisolar calendar rather than our standard Gregorian calendar. So, the Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated at different times every year, although always around July and August.

The Festival celebrated a day when the gate of the underworld is opened, releasing the spirits to the world of the living. On this day, it is also believed that the spirits of the ancestors will visit their living families to feast together.

In this post, we will learn all you need to know about the Hungry Ghost Festival, but let us begin by discussing the history behind it.

Origin and History of Hungry Ghost Festival

The concepts of afterlife, underworld, and spirits have been embedded strongly in the history of ancient China, especially after Buddhism was introduced to China around 200-220 BCE.

According to Chinese Buddhism, on the 15th day of the 7th Lunar Month, the goddess Guan Yin opened the gate of the underworld so all the spirits can enter the world of the living. These “hungry” spirits then wander the world to look for food and entertainment.

History recorded that the ancient Chinese has venerated their ancestors since the Warring States period. Early on, only the Emperor and rich nobles can afford to do so, but along with time, honoring the ancestors is a must-do tradition for everyone, the rich and the poor, the noblemen and commoners.

However, it was only during the Eastern Han dynasty period that the actual concept of the Hungry Ghost Festival was solidified, becoming a country-wide tradition, although it’s still not considered a major festival yet.

The Tang Dynasty period (618 to 907 AD) further established the Hungry Ghost Festival as one of the most important festivals in China. During this period, the Emperor of Tang declared that the festival as a mandatory festival that should be celebrated each year, which lasts until today.

Legends and Folktales Behind the Hungry Ghost Festival

As with other festivals in China, the Hungry Ghost Festival celebration is based on legends and folktales. There are many versions of folktales telling the origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival, but the most widely known one is about a child named Mulian.

According to this popular Chinese Buddhist tale recorded in a Dunhuang Manuscript as old as the 9th century AD, Mulian was an orphan that gained the power to travel to heaven. He used the power to seek his parents in heaven.

Mulian successfully found his father in heaven, and they were both very happy with the reunion. However, Mulian also learned that his mother was actually not in heaven, but in hell. His mother was punished because, during her life, she stole money that should have otherwise be given to the wandering monks.

Mulian was really saddened about this fact and really wanted to rescue her mother from hell. Looking for a solution, Mulian asked for wisdom from the Buddha on how to rescue his mother. The Buddha instructed Mulian to prepare food offerings and gifts to monks and monasteries on the 15th day of the 7th month, to “pay” for her mother’s sins and ask for forgiveness.

Due to Mulian’s devotion, his mother was freed from hell and can join his father in heaven.

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Activities and Traditions During the Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival can be considered as a unique one amongst the other Chinese festivals, especially because it deals with superstition regarding ghosts and spirits.

Many of the traditions and activities performed at the Hungry Ghost Festival are performed to ward off misfortune and bad luck caused by evil spirits, and so many of these activities are intended to avoid disturbing and disrespecting the spirits that are freed during the festival.

Here are some of the core activities performed during the Hungry Ghost Festival

Offering Food and Gifts

One of the most important traditions performed during this festival is to prepare food offering to appease the hungry spirits, hence the name of the festival. People can either prepare a table of offerings or simply place the food and gifts anywhere (i.e. on the streets).

Visiting The Temples

The Buddhist temples and pavilions are one of the main places where people can leave their food offerings but during the Hungry Ghost Festival, people also often visit the temple to burn incense paper offerings shaped as money, houses, cars, and so on. According to traditions, the spirits can bring back the burned money and gifts when they return to the underworld.

Setting Up Incense

Incense offerings are a very important element of the Hungry Ghost Festival. Incense symbolizes the respect given to the ancestral spirits who returned to the world of the living during the festival. Also, putting incense in front of stores or businesses during the festival is believed to attract wealth and good luck to the business.

Lighting Up Lanterns and Candles

During the festival people often light up candles and lanterns to attract the spirits of their ancestors. These lanterns and candles act as direction markers so the spirits can find their way to their families’ houses.

Getae is a type of Chinese opera which is specially designed to entertain visiting spirits and ghosts. During a Getae show, the front seats are emptied with burned incense placed on them. This show is performed to venerate the dead spirits, and also to entertain them before they return to the underworld.

Things to Avoid During Hungry Ghost Festival

Due to the unique nature of the festival that is basically about superstitions, there are also taboos that should be observed during the festival celebration.

If you happen to visit China or other countries that celebrate the festival during the time of the Hungry Ghost Festival, it’s best to know what things you shouldn’t do throughout the festival celebration:

• Don’t step on roadside offerings

As mentioned above, people often leave their food and gifts offerings on the streets during the time of the festival. If you accidentally step (or kick) on these offerings, you should ask for forgiveness immediately. It is believed that if the spirits despised your attitude, then you’ll be followed by them, which often leads to bad luck.

• Color taboos

Avoid wearing anything colored red or black during the time of the festival. Traditions dictated that the spirits are often attracted by red or black color. If you don’t want to be disturbed or possessed by these hungry spirits, it’s best to avoid these two colors.

• Don’t come home late

It’s best to avoid wandering around at night during the time of this festival. Also, avoid taking pictures at night.

Hungry Ghost Festival in Other Cultures

Japan: obon festival.

In Japan, there’s a festival that is really similar to the Hungry Ghost Festival, called Obon Festival. However, there are also some differences in how the festival is celebrated.

While in celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival people are encouraged to follow curfew and avoid the evil spirits, the Obon Festival is celebrated in a different approach where people are instead encouraged to spend time with the spirits around them.

There are also some similarities between the two festivals, like lighting up candles and lanterns to provide directions to the ancestral spirits. However, there are some activities that are unique to the Obon festival, like Bon Odori , a type of traditional dance accompanied by Taiko drums, designed to entertain the spirits.

Indonesia: Sembahyang Rebutan

The Sembahyang Rebutan (literally translated to “praying and grabbing”) Festival celebrated in some areas in Indonesia is quite similar to the Hungry Spirit Festival. It is celebrated during the time when the gate of the underworld is believed to be opened so the spirits can return to their living family’s houses. The people would also offer food and gifts (fruits, rice, cakes) for their ancestors, and typically they’ll prepare empty seats at their houses for the ancestors along with the ancestors’ friends in the underworld.

Also, during this time many temples and organizations will also offer food for the poor (rice, meat, fruits, snacks, etc.), and the poor people will often try to grab the food and gifts as fast as possible (hence the name “ rebutan ” or “to grab” of the festival).

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All the Ways to Celebrate Hungry Ghost Festival

• August 12, 2022

Photo Credit: VCG

Siyi chu (褚司怡), how to avoid hungry ghosts and placate “good brothers” this zhongyuan festival.

Don’t stay out too late tonight, because this is the night when many ghosts roam the streets—this spine-chilling admonition is told to many a Chinese child on Zhongyuan “Hungry Ghost” Festival, held on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

Popular folk belief has it that around this time of year, the King of Hell opens the gates of the underworld so the deceased can return to the human realm for a visit—that includes not just your loving ancestors, but also wild and lonely ghosts starved of worship rituals or offerings from their offspring. In Daoist tradition, the revered deity Diguan , or “Official of Earth,” takes the fifteenth day of the month to absolve the sins of the world.

Buddhists celebrate this day as Ullambana, with a different origin story in which Maudgalyayana, a disciple of Buddha known as Mulian in China, set up food offerings for members of the Buddhist sangha to request their help to redeem his mother from the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, where she was condemned to suffer from starvation. Eventually, this day became a time to commemorate the filial piety of Mulian, and make offerings to all departed spirits.

As the lines between worlds and belief systems blur on this day, the occasion has become associated with taboos and elaborate rituals. People pay their respects to the deceased and seek to steer clear of other-worldly troubles. However, Zhongyuan Festival is not universally characterized by solemnity and spookiness, as for some, it has evolved into an opportunity for various feasts and festivities, which may involve everything from ducks, to paper iPhones, and even pole dancing.

Taking care of ancestors and “good brothers”

Intersections and riversides (locations believed to offer easy connection to other worlds) are lit up by flames, as worshipers burn joss paper, hoping to send wealth to their deceased ancestors and relatives.

Some suggest, while burning offerings for your ancestors, you should leave a few bank notes nearby to appease any wild ghosts, so that they won’t take the offerings intended for your beloved. In areas including Taiwan and Minnan (the coastal region of southern Fujian province), people refer to these wild spirits with the euphemism “good brothers.”

Thousands of residents burn joss paper at Qingyi River in Ya’an, Sichuan province (VCG)

Redemption for all souls

In Buddhist temples, such as Chengdu’s famous Wenshu Temple , monks chant and organize offerings for the Buddha and bodhisattvas to pray for the well-being of all, as well as host rituals on the day to “release suffering souls from purgatory and paths of bad karma,” as Wenshu’s WeChat account introduces. In addition, it also delivers provisions to local nursery homes and welfare institutes.

Even non-Buddhist temples, such as one on the Changdao Islands of Shandong province which worships the sea goddess Mazu, join the benevolent spirit. In 2020, this Mazu temple announced a ceremony that, in addition to paying tribute to deceased souls, would “pray for the victory of our country’s people against the pandemic.”

A temple in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, hosts Zhongyuan Festival ceremonies, attracting nearby residents to join the chanting and praying (VCG)

In Taiwan, it is a common practice for households, businesses, or associations to host their own ceremonies, known as Zhongyuan Universal Salvation Ceremonies, to honor “good brothers.” Many set up temporary altars with offerings including meats, fruits, and flowers, and follow a detailed sequence of rituals and dos and don’ts.

In many areas, people also release lanterns into water or set them up on roadsides, hoping to help lost souls find their way home.

Feast for both worlds

In Guangxi, while the festival might be a good day for hungry ghosts, it is apocalyptic for ducks. Duck with lemon, blanched duck, or duck in a dry pot…these birds are musts for Zhongyuan feasts. Last year, A 29-year-old duck seller in Liuzhou told Chinanews.com that around the festival, the number of ducks he sold soared from the usual 700 or 800 a day to 1,000 or 2,000.

One theory for this duck obsession points to a possible folk belief that deceased souls ride ducks to traverse between the two worlds, and thus eating ducks will send the birds to the other realm to assist their ancestors. Another theory explains that, in ancient times, Guangxi people started raising ducks around spring, making Zhongyuan the time when the ducks were plump and ready for eating.

Early morning on Zhongyuan Festival, duck sellers in Liuzhou, Guangxi, round up their birds and get ready for a busy day (VCG)

Among the Yao people of Yunnan province, according to an article by public WeChat account Yao Culture , it’s chickens that are slaughtered—at least three for each family hosting the ritual. Meanwhile, in parts of central China, people make steamed buns shaped like goats, and offer them in the animals’ stead.

Offerings that keep up with the times

KFC’s Zhongyuan Festival promotion in Taiwan

While people burn joss paper as if making a wire transfer to the netherworld, they also want their ancestors to enjoy the trendiest trinkets on the market. Manufacturers have kept up by churning out fashionable clothes, golf clubs, iPhones, and even private jets—all in paper form, ready to be burned! According to the WeChat public account Boyangcong People, in 2008, a manufacturer even got into copyright trouble with Rolex and Louis Vuitton, and had to tweak the logos from then on: “iPhonie” instead of iPhone and “SKIII” instead of SKII.

Masks, alcohol sprays, body thermometers, and even green health codes made of paper for burning have also been spotted in recent years, to protect the dead from Covid-19.

Some in Taiwan have even started placing food from KFC at the altars as offerings. At the time of writing, some locations of the fast food chain have introduced a special offer called “Zhongyuan Lucky Bucket.” This includes a large selection of fried chicken, egg tarts, and Pepsi, with a happy-looking cartoon ghost on the promotional materials seemingly offering its seal of approval.

An occasion for fun

In an article for the China Writer’s Association in 2017, Bouyei writer Wei Xingsheng remembered the festival from his childhood in Guizhou as a multi-day celebration—about the only occasion other than the Lunar New Year when parents would buy children new clothes. He recalled, in addition to feasts, rituals, and visits with relatives, time was set aside for games like spinning tops, as well as suona performances and singing.

In parts of the south of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, people step in after the rituals to try to snatch the offerings for themselves, an activity called qianggu . In some places, the offerings are set on elevated platforms, which competitors have to climb oiled sticks to reach. Some say it’s to get the offerings before the ghosts take them, others say it’s to create a scene to scare away any ghosts who wish to linger.

In some parts of Taiwan, Zhongyuan gatherings even try to whip up an atmosphere with pole dancing. In Singapore , those celebrating set up special concerts called getai , with the first row of seats always left empty—or so it may seem...They are in fact VIP seats reserved for the “good brothers.”

Elaborate paper offerings being burned in Hong Kong (VCG)

Supernatural contact

Of course Zhongyuan Festival is no one-way show of benevolence or piety. According to popular belief—some might call it superstition—the “good brothers” may also try to make contact with the human realm on this day. Some common advice on avoiding unwanted contact include: Avoid taking photos, or you might be surprised by the image you capture; do not hang up clothes, or “good brothers” might borrow them; and if you tap on someone’s shoulder, it puts out an invisible fire, and gives “good brothers” an opportunity to pounce.

While swimming is often advised against on this day, Yao culture permits children to swim in rivers—and if they carry a rice sift to the bottom of the water, it is believed they might be able to see their ancestors.

Going green

As the clock struck 9 on the night of Zhongyuan in 2016, the air quality index (AQI) reading in Guiyang, Guizhou province measured 32, indicating good air. As paper burning continued, the AQI rose to 215 by 11 p.m., labeled “very unhealthy.” This year, the city came out with a campaign promoting “civilized offering,” according to state media outlet Xinhua , advising residents to bring goods, flowers, and cards to designated “memorial post boxes,” rather than burn paper.

In many other cities, like Chengdu and Tianjin, governments have issued announcements for Zhongyuan Festival, suggesting alternatives like “online offerings,” while designating areas of the city where burning is not allowed. In 2021 around Qingming Festival , another festival where paper burning is popular, water-soluble offerings have gained traction on the market as a more environmentally friendly alternative.

Singaporean news outlet Zaobao has reported this green trend has been well received by religious communities, with Daoist abbot Chen Xianda calling for “rational burning,” and Buddhist monk Shi Youwei pointing out that the amount of joss paper burned has nothing to do with the amount of good karma one accumulates. “It’s more about ‘the incense of the heart,’” Shi told Zaobao in July this year, referring to true-hearted veneration. “Kindness of heart is what drives our merits. It shouldn’t rely on the materialistic.”

While those in the human realm seem to be embracing the change, it remains to be seen whether the “good brothers” will be in such high spirits this Zhongyuan Festival.

Siyi is the Culture Editor at The World of Chinese. She writes about arts, culture, and society, and is ever-curious about the minds, hearts, and souls inside all of these spheres. Before joining TWOC, she was a freelance writer with some additional work experience in independent filmmaking and the field of education.

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How to Celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival, marks the time of year when tables are turned and the deceased are believed to visit the living. During the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the gates of the afterlife are thrown open and ghosts are free to roam the earth in search of food, entertainment and mischief.

Mark Your Calendars Hungry Ghost Festival 2023 is August 30, 2023. It takes place every year on the evening of the 15th day of Ghost Month, the 7th month on the lunar calendar.

Here is a collection of easy family activities, crafts and customs with step-by-step directions to help your family make nice with any ghosts who may come calling at your doorstep.

Though the Hungry Ghost Festival gets some acclaim as the “Chinese Halloween,” the holiday actually offers a great opportunity to teach kids about caring for the destitute and less fortunate. During the duration of Ghost Month, hungry spirits roam the earth in search of mischief and worldly pleasure. To ease their suffering, the living observe superstitions and make offerings of food, money and entertainment all month long, culminating with an outdoor ghost-feeding ceremony on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

History & Folklore

The Hungry Ghost Festival is a time when restless ghosts rise, when makeshift roadside altars glow with burning joss paper and when the living do everything they can to appease the wandering spirits. It’s one of the two big annual festivals designated for the dead — the other is the Qingming Festival in the spring. Read More »

The Origins of Ghost Month Traditions

People take actions on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival, and during the entire Ghost Month, to pacify the spirits looking to cause mischief around them. It’s assumed that ghosts won’t curse those who make offerings of food, money and material goods in their honor. Read More »

Ghosts and goblins, spooky stories and incense make the Hungry Ghost Festival a lot of fun to share with your kids. It’s a month-long opportunity to follow old superstitions, tell ghost stories and reinforce the importance of family, along with the need to look after the destitute. Ghost Month culminates with a ghost-feeding ceremony on the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival that’s filled with fire, smoke and ritual offerings.

How to Plan a Ghost-Feeding Ceremony

A ghost-feeding ceremony is all about providing for the wandering souls searching the earth for food, entertainment and mischief. Planning a ghost-feeding ceremony is a bit like putting together a dinner party for a set of invisible guests under a full moon. Read More »

You can use craft projects during the Hungry Ghost Festival to introduce the meaning of ritual paper offerings, in the form of joss paper ingots and floating lanterns. Burning ceremonial joss paper is meant to calm wandering spirits, while floating lanterns light a path home at the end of the holiday.

How to Fold Joss Paper Ingots

Folding joss paper ingots around the kitchen table can help you explain the importance of sending offerings of money, food and other supplies to passing ghosts. Use our guide to fold joss paper into the gold ingots that were used as ancient Chinese currency. Read More »

How to Make a Floating Lotus Flower Paper Lantern

The Hungry Ghost Festival and Ghost Month end by sending the spirits home, guided by the candlelight of a floating lantern. Make this traditional floating lantern that’s shaped like a lotus flower to symbolize purity and redemption. Read More »

Buying Guides

Prior to the Hungry Ghost Festival, it’s a good idea to pick up joss paper, incense sticks and the foods for your ceremonial offering, but that’s all you’ll really need. You’ll also want to select a few children’s books to help introduce young readers to the holiday.

Best Children’s Books About the Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival is the perfect opportunity to introduce children to classic Chinese ghost stories, where otherworldly ghouls, ghosts and spirits abound. Here’s a collection of spooky tales that are distinctly Chinese. Read More »

How to Buy Joss Paper

The Chinese burn joss paper to send ancestors money and material goods in the afterlife. Use our guide to learn how to use joss paper during the Hungry Ghost Festival, along with how to shop for the three most common types available. Read More »

I hope you have a great time celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival this year with these easy activities and crafts. Please comment below if there are additional resources you would like to see added to the site!

HT: Photo by Reuters .

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16 responses.

Thank you for the information, my Chinese gf and her family are impressed that I take the time to learn about their customs and traditions. Hopefully this information will help put more feathers in my cap. Always learning

So happy to hear that, John! Welcome to the site and hope you’ll continue your journey! Winning over the parents is super important, it’s all about making the effort. ~Wes

Bicultural Mama

Great information on this festival. I will share on my Facebook page.

Wonderful, and thank you for sharing!

Thanks for the information. I have a student from Hong Kong and I am trying to learn about his culture. He is about to celebrate his first Halloween in America. I was looking for how the holidays are similar.

That’s really wonderful, Carolyn. I’m sure he appreciates the effort. I had hoped to write a post this year about Chinese American Halloween costume ideas, but couldn’t quite make it. Next year! ~Wes

Ronujie Raliugad

A big graceful thanks to you for all these kind information that you have provided on your page; It helps me a lot in many ways. It teaches me how to have reunion with my ancestors again after so long!!, Keep up your good work.

Thank you for your kind words, Ronujie! I’m so glad that you find the site so helpful. ~Wes

Such great information. I am writing a novel with one character celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival, and your pages have been most useful.

Is there a traditional greeting family members would offer each other during the festival?

Thanks a lot for that, Bob. No traditional greetings for this festival, but some family members might exchange a snicker about observing certain superstitions during the course of the month. ~Wes

Wes, do you have a thought about which superstition would be the one most likely to be snickered about?

Thanks for your help.

Tough to say. It’s all contextual. But it’s kinda like laughing something off as an ‘old wives’ tale’ sort of thing. ~Wes

That makes sense. I imagine the floating lotus paper lantern is more endearing, as it could be seen as more symbolic and because it is more beautiful, than leaving the first row of seats at a concert empty. Empty seats seem more visibly indicating the belief that ghosts would sit there, which I would think would seem more superstitious.

All very interesting. Thanks again for your help. Bob

Wonderfully shared – thank you Just visited grandmothers cemetery to celebrate and honour your sacrifices , kindness and compassion ????

Are there any cities in California that host this festival? I am teaching a Multi-Cultural Class and my students are working on bringing more cultural diversity to our campus. We read that this holiday is in 2 days and were trying to figure out ways to teach the campus about other traditions around the world, but also incorporate the Chinese- American experience today. Any insight would be great!

Hi Elena, thanks for your question. Here in the United States, you’ll see signs of the Hungry Ghost Festival during early evening walks through Chinatown. Try to spot curbside offerings and smoldering piles of joss paper left to please restless spirits seeking worldly pleasure. ~Wes

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Ghost Festival Calendar

Zhongyuan Festival, also known as Ghost Festival or Yu Lan Pen Festival, falls on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and it is dominated by the customs like worshipping ancestors, floating river lanterns, and burning paper ingots. Zhongyuan Festival evolved from the ancient harvest and autumn sacrificing on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, which was a day to celebrate harvest and reward the earth in the early autumn; the folk would offer sacrifices to ancestors with new rice and other crops, and report the harvest in autumn. As a traditional cultural festival in memory of ancestors, the Ghost Festival takes respecting ancestors and showing filial piety as the core.

Ghost Festival

What is Ghost Month?

The Chinese people believe that their deceased Chinese ancestors come out of hell during the first day of the 7 th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. They believe that these ghosts roam around the lands to search for entertainment. This is the reason why the night has been associated with fear and creep. Many Chinese people become afraid of these ghosts believing that they may do harm to them or simply because they are just spooky. Because of this, Chinese people follow certain traditions during the Hungry Ghost Month.

What is the Ghost Festival?

Within the Hungry Ghost Month is the Hungry Ghost Festival also called Yulan Festival. It is a traditional Taoist and Buddhist festival that is held mainly in China as well as other Asian countries. In Chinese tradition, the 15 th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is the Ghost Festival or the Ghost Day which is the day when deceased ancestor come out from the lower realms. Just like the Qingming Festival and the Double Ninth Festival, Chinese people pay homage to their ancestors during the Ghost Festival. But in addition to this, the deceased are believed to visit those who are living.

What is the history of the Ghost Festival?

The Ghost Festival has a quite rich history. Its origins can be traced back to when beliefs about Ghost Month came to be.

What is the history of Ghost Month?

Ghost Month happens for the entire duration of the 7 th month of the lunar calendar. This is the month where the Chinese people believe that the gates to the underworld are opened thereby releasing captive ghosts that roam around the places of the living. And on the last day of the Ghost Month, the gate closes again.

According to experts, the origin of the Ghost month can be traced back to when people started to believe that something should be done with the ghosts believed to have emerged from the lower realms during the month. Hence, what they do is that they honor ancestors and family ghosts. In particular, they pacify the ghosts who were not able to receive proper burial either because they have committed suicide or they were murdered. The Chinese believe that these ghosts come back to the living to seek revenge. Things that are done by Chinese people include offering food, entertainment, and money all month long during the Ghost Month believing that doing so will prevent the ghosts from causing trouble.

What is the origin of the Ghost Festival?

According to historians, the origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival ca neb traced back to the story of a Buddhist Monk who thought and longed for his parents. Such monk was said to be a psychic who was able to know what happened to his parents after they died. He found out that his father was in heaven but his mother was not. His mother went to the lower realm due to her greediness when she was still alive.

The monk is said to have been advised by Buddha to offer a meal to his mother during the 15 th day of the seventh month of the lunar festival. This then evolved and became quickly adopted by the Chinese people including the Confucians. This is how the Ghost Festival celebration originated.

When is the Ghost Festival?

The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday that is typically held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, which usually falls in August or September in the Gregorian calendar. However, the exact date may vary from year to year. In 2022, the Ghost Festival is on August 30th.

Why celebrate the Ghost Festival?

The obvious reason why the Ghost Festival is an important celebration is that it is one of the most-preserved cultures and traditions in China and also in Asia. Though the celebration inspired a little bit of fear and spookiness, the fact the most people now celebrate the day with entertainment and family reunions, it has become a good day where people can spend time together with their loved ones, both living and deceased.

How to Celebrate the Ghost Festival?

There are so many different activities done to celebrate the Ghost Festival. The staple ones that always appear in the event are the following:

Burn Some Incense and Joss Paper

One usual activity for the Ghost Festival is the burning of some incense and joss paper. Chinese people usually smolder piles of fake money and replicas of house, cars, and electronics that they believe the deceased needed in their afterlives. Most people burn these things in their backyards. But there are also those who do it on the streets.

Offer Foods for the Departed

Another staple activity during the event is offering of foods for those who have died. As mentioned earlier, the offering of food to the departed is an advice given by the higher-ups believing that ghosts can be entertained and calmed down when they are offered foods during the event. That is during the event, you can see some small plates with food left along the roadside. There are offerings to ghosts who may have passed.

Attend Some Chinese Opera

Ghosts are also believed to seek entertainment during this day. Hence, the Chinese people hold special operas to entertain both the living and the dead.

Throw A Ghost Festival Feast

Chinese people believe that the bridge between the living and the deceased is at its strongest during the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival. What you can do during this time is to throw a feast in your own home where you can serve foods to your relatives and also some set aside for your deceased ancestors.

Send Off Lanterns

Chinese people also tend to send off lotus-shaped lanterns on the river or lake during the night of the Ghost Festival. They believe that doing so will allow the ghosts to have a guide back to the underworld where they belong.

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Ghost festival - traditions, events & legends: a complete information.

Ghost Festival - Traditions, Events & Legends: A Complete Information

The Ghost Festival, otherwise known as Zhongyuan Festival, is an East Asian tradition in which it is believed that the spirits of the dead will rise from the underworld and visit the realm of the living. It is celebrated by both Taoist and Buddhist practitioners alike, and is held on either the 14th or 15th night of the seventh month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Similar to the Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead in Mexico, people believe that during the Zhongyuan Festival, a passage is open between the realms of the dead and the living. During this period, families would pay respects to the dead through food offerings, as well as the burning of incense, joss paper, and sometimes even paper mache constructs of material items. These practices stem from the fundamental belief in the religious value system adopted by Buddhists which emphasizes on filial piety and respect to one’s elders, even in death. And for Taoists, the act of appeasing the spirits holds great importance.

History of Ghost Festival

Stories of the origins of the Ghost Festival are varied in both Buddhism and Taoism. Most famously, in Buddhist culture, the Ghost Festival started off from the time in which Mu Lian, a disciple of Buddha, tried to save his mother from hell. Despite being a vegetarian, his mother had unknowingly consumed meat, and was sentenced to the Hungry Ghost Realm as punishment for denying it. Seeing the state his mother was in, Mu Lian attempted to give her food. The story sometimes branches off here, with the food being stolen by other hungry ghosts, or it turning to coal before his mother could eat it. But the commonality stands whereby Mu Lian fails to feed his mother.

He then proceeds to ask Buddha for help, and Buddha guides him on how he can feed his mother by offering food to the monastic community during the end of the monsoon season (which typically falls on the 15th of the seventh month), as this was the period in which the monks and nuns would transfer the merits to the deceased. Following Buddha’s instructions, Mu Lian was able to relieve his mother of her suffering.

The Taoist version regarding the Ghost Festival’s origins is quite different. The core principle of Taoism lies in the Three Yuan theory, which is where the name Zhongyuan came from. The story begins in the Tang Dynasty, where a certain fortune teller Li, drew the ire of the Dragon King of the Eastern Seas. Seeking to discredit Li, the latter executed a plan in defiance of the King of Heaven. His plan however, was exposed and he was eventually sentenced to death.

Wanting to avoid death, the Dragon King sought Emperor Tang Taizong for help. Emperor Tang felt sorry for the Dragon King and promised to save him, and devised a plan to do so. Unfortunately, the plan did not succeed, and the Dragon King perished. Shortly after, the Dragon King appeared before Emperor Tang in a dream, and blamed him for failing to keep his promise, causing him to suffer as a wandering spirit. The next day, which happened to be the 15th of the seventh lunar month, Emperor Tang ordered all Buddhist and Taoist priests in the capital to offer prayers, as well as food and drink to the Dragon King, and this started off what is now known as the Zhongyuan Festival.

A paper effigy of Da Shi Ye is set alight. Source:  JinPaper

During the Ghost Festival, it is common to see paper effigies of Da Shi Ye, or the King of Ghosts, erected. Originally a terrifying demon king, he was eventually subdued by Guan Yin and converted to the cause of good. However, as he still retained his original ferociousness, Guan Yin sought to provide him with the proper outlet to exercise this aspect of his nature while still serving a good cause.

Many worship Da Shi Ye during the Ghost Festival, as it is believed he keeps a scrutinous eye on all the spirits during their one month reprieve from Hell, so that they do not harm any human beings or try to escape. 

Why do Chinese people celebrate the Ghost Festival?

Compared to other celebrations, the Ghost Festival is unique even for Chinese sub-cultural groups because it intersects the core Buddhist and Confucianist values of filial piety and devotion, as well as the Taoist tenet of relieving the spirits of the dead from suffering. For non-religious families as well, the Ghost Festival provides an opportunity to pay homage to and reminisce about lost loved ones, and helps us appreciate the living better. 

When to celebrate the Ghost Festival?

As previously explained, the Ghost Festival is held on the 15th day of the seventh Chinese lunisolar month, though in some parts of southern China celebrating on the 14th is more common. In Buddhist lore of Mu Lian rescuing his mother, this date coincides with the transference of merits to the deceased by the monastic community, and marks the day in which Mu Lian was able to feed his mother’s spirit and relieve her suffering. And in Taoism, Emperor Tang decreed it as such after receiving the deceased Dragon King’s reproach in a dream.

In modern day, it is more commonly known that the seventh month marks the opening of the gates of hell and ghosts are free to roam the mortal realm during this period of reprieve from punishment.

How do the Chinese celebrate the Ghost Festival?

Although the Ghost Festival may bear a different significance whether you’re a Buddhist or Taoist, in Malaysia at least, the celebrations are largely similar regardless.

Soon as the start of the seventh lunar month, the Chinese would make food offerings, put up joss sticks and candles, and burn paper replicas of material items such as houses, clothes, and even cars for the spirits of the deceased. While it is common for families to pay their respects to the spirits they’re familiar with, some would go further and put up offerings for unknown wandering souls as well. This is so that the spirits do not needlessly intrude upon their lives. These burning activities can often be seen out in the open, either by a park or just next to the road, and are most prevalent during the first, 15th, and the end of the festival. For especially large burnings organized by associations, a paper effigy of Da Shi Ye would normally be present. 

Some places also like to organize a getai, which is essentially a live performance of song and dance designed to entertain the spirits, though the living is more than welcome to join in on the parade as well. The content of these performances can range from Chinese opera, drama and even burlesque shows in some parts of the world. The performances are typically held outdoors at night and at high enough volumes in order to attract and please the spirits. What’s interesting to note is that it’s considered taboo to sit in the front row, as this is designated for the dead to sit in. As the Zhongyuan Festival is also commonly known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, there would also be generous food offerings for the starved ghosts, typically in the form of rice, oil, canned food, and sugarcane, generally provided through the monthly contributions of neighborhood businesses and residents.

A temporary altar is set along the road with offerings and an incense burner. Source:  JinPaper

As far as rituals are concerned, both Buddhists and Taoists will typically construct makeshift altars and hold ceremonies designed to relieve the spirits of their suffering. While the steps themselves can differ from one to another, generally the monks will throw rice or other small foods in the air in all directions, to ensure that it is properly distributed to the ghosts.

Another thing of note is the burning of incense in front of one’s home. In Chinese culture, incense is synonymous with prosperity, so families believe that the more incense they burn, the more prosperity they shall receive. Some shops also opt to close their doors in the evening, so that the ghosts can freely roam the streets without obstruction. 

Finally, on the fourteenth day of the festival, the Chinese will build little paper lanterns and float them outside their houses on a body of water. This is to ensure that the spirits do not linger in the mortal realm and are able to find their way back to the underworld. These paper lanterns take the shape of a lotus flower and are set upon a paper boat. Once the fire in the lantern goes out, it symbolizes that the dead have made their way back to the spirit realm.

Compared to most other Chinese folk traditions, the Ghost Festival doesn’t have too many ritualistic practices beyond the normal incense burning and food offering. Perhaps the key takeaway here is to act prudently during this period of time, as you don’t want to unknowingly slight any spirit and attract misfortune onto you and your loved ones.

If you like what you read and want to see more, be sure to follow us closely at JinPaper , Malaysia’s number one supplier of Chinese prayer items. And if you think we missed something out, or if you have a topic in particular that you would like to see covered next, let us know in the comments below!

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Halloween in China

Cultures from Europe to China have traditional days of the dead or ghost days that are thousands of years old that were part of the tribal folk religions before the advent of Christianity in Europe and Buddhism in Asia. 

Foreign teachers have introduced the British and American Halloween of October 31, but except for kids who have foreign teachers or the expat oriented bars and restaurants and schools in China, Halloween activities aren't popular in China.

The Chinese have traditional days of the dead that are much more popular such as the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Qing Ming Festival, the Double 9th Festival, and the Spring Festival.

Western Halloween in China

Halloween entered China mainly through two influences: foreign teachers and Western expats.

Foreign teachers in China might have a Halloween party for their students and a lesson about Halloween in their country. So some Chinese children hear about Halloween and might make decorations and get Halloween candy. In general though, few Chinese do much about Halloween unless they have foreign friends.

Halloween in China is a party day in expat-oriented bars and restaurants where a lot of expats live such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The bars and restaurants frequented by foreigners will often decorate for the occasion with pictures of black cats, ghosts, and monsters, and Halloween lanterns, and there might be masquerade parties.

In Hong Kong the two big theme parks, Ocean Park and Disneyland , have activities themed with Halloween. Masquerades, haunted houses, movies, and costumed people could give you a fright.

In Shanghai  there is an old building built in 1933 by the British called 1933 Shanghai that was a former slaughterhouse, and is now an chic office building, that holds a Halloween event every year with adult-rated masquerade parties.

A Comparison Between the Western Halloween and China's Days of the Dead

Halloween originated from the traditional holiday of Celts in Great Britain who believed that the last day of October was "the day of the dead" or "the ghost day" when ghosts crossed over the boundary between the living and the dead. It evolved into a day of fun and parties for most people. However, in English speaking countries such as America and Britain, many take the day seriously as a special day for religious prayers or witchcraft.

The Chinese days of the dead are a part of the religion of the common people. A greater percentage of Chinese than Westerners really believe that on these days there is more of a bridge between the dead and the living, and so they must take precautions or honor the dead.

These ghost days are a part of the folk religion of Chinese people called Daoism . These traditional festivals are hundreds of years old. In general, they are dates for people to protect themselves from attacks or pranks by the ghosts and also dates to seriously honor and worship their ancestors or famous people of the past. It is believed that the ghosts of dead people can help them or protect them.

Festivals Similar to Halloween in China

There are several days and a whole entire month in China that are similar to Halloween. These are the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Qing Ming Festival, the last day of the seventh lunar month, and the Spring Festival.

The Hungry Ghost Festival : This ghost day is on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. It is one of several important days to deal with ghosts and worship ancestors in China. The Taoist name for the Hungry Ghost Festival is the Zhongyuan Festival (中元节), and Buddhists call it the Yulanpen Festival. In many ways, this festival is reminiscent of Halloween or the Night of the Dead in the West.

The seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar is the scariest month of the year because on the first day of the seventh month, there is an ancient belief that ghosts are let out of hell. The seventh month is called the "Ghost Month" (鬼月 Gui Yue), and the whole month is said to be a month in which the ghosts are extant and traveling around the country, looking for entertainment. Many people try to avoid doing anything dangerous during the month, such as swimming or being out alone at night since the ghosts are active. It is thought that the ghosts may attack their enemies or be angry or malicious.

The last day of the seventh lunar month : This is a less-celebrated festival day. It is thought that on the last day of the month the gates of hell are closed up again. People celebrate and observe this day in various ways. Many burn more paper money and clothing so that the ghosts can use them in their society in hell. In order to encourage the ghosts to leave, Taoist monks chant. A common tradition is the floating of river lanterns that are thought to take or guide those ghosts back to their place.

The Qing Ming Festival : This festival is in the spring on the 4th or 5th of April. It is also called tomb sweeping day. Families go out on the day to tend and repair their ancestors' tombs. Many Chinese families maintain ancestral tombs. But you can see people out cutting the grass, decorating the tombs, and worshiping or presenting food. These are often like family outings.

The Double Nine Festival : This is another traditional day for worshiping the dead. It is also a time for families to go for walks in the fall in the mountains and hills and drink chrysanthemum tea. The tea is healthful at this time of the year when the weather changes.

The Chinese Spring Festival : Every year, the Chinese celebrate the beginning of their new year with festivities, reunions, vacations, and fireworks. The fireworks originally were thought to drive away evil spirits, and there are a lot of Daoist religious traditions associated with the time that most Chinese probably still believe.

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Culture of Chinese

Chinese Ghost Festival

You have probably heard of the Chinese Lunar New Year but have you also heard about the lesser well-known Hungry Ghost Festival or otherwise known as Chinese Ghost Festival? Just as the Americans has the Halloween, the Chinese have their version of a ghost festival too.

The Chinese Ghost festival is a mixed Taoist/ folklore occasion that is taken very seriously by the Chinese. This festival falls on the 7th month of the Lunar Calendar and is believed by the Chinese that during this month, the gates of hell are opened to let out the hungry ghosts who then wander to seek food on Earth.

Filial Chinese families would celebrate this festival to remember their dead family members and pay tribute to them. At the same time, they also pray and pay tributes to other unknown wandering ghosts so that these homeless souls will not intrude into their daily lives and bring along misfortunes or bad luck.

The Origin of Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival has its roots in the Buddhist festival Ullambana, and also in Taoist culture. In the Tang Dynasty, the Buddhist festival Ullambana and its traditional festivities were mixed and celebrated on one day. Thus, the Ghost Festival has a special meaning for all Buddhists.

The Chinese believe that the dead become ghosts who roam between Heaven and Earth on the day of their death. Spirits without descendants to make offerings to them are fed during the ghost festival, so that they may not cause trouble to the living. This custom, an extension of the traditional Chinese notion of ‘universal love’, was started after the legend “Mu Lian Saving his Mother from Hades”, giving Ghost festival a dimension of filial piety.

There are many versions of this tale, but the gist of the story of Mu Lian is that of a young man who left home to become a monk, contrary to the doctrines of Confucian filial piety despite his mother wishing for him to stay so he was able to look after her.

When he had completed his training, he found that his mother has passed away. After intense meditation and prayer, Mu Lian sensed that his mother had been cast into the depths of hell for her past sins that he was unaware of! As an obedient son, he used all the powers in his attempt to rescue her from her plight. By fasting, praying and offering sacrifices of food and spirit money to the Lord of the Dark Realm, Mu Lian was able to rescue his mother from being a hungry ghost, forever looking for redemption.

How is the festival celebrated? As the Chinese is that the dead return to visit their living relatives during the 7th month and thus the living family would prepare a sumptuous meal for the ‘hungry ghosts’. The Chinese feel that they have to satisfy the ghosts in order to get good fortune and luck in their lives.

During the 7th month celebrations, the Chinese offer prayers to the deceased relatives, burn joss sticks, paper money and offer food. It is a common sight to see entertainment performances or Chinese Opera and concerts performed on outdoor stages in some neighborhoods. These events are always held at night and are loud affairs with singing, operas, dances all performed at super high volume. There is a belief that this loud entertainment would attract and please those wandering spirits.

The entire show may be filled with living audience but take note that the front row seats are always left empty for… you guess it, the unseen ghosts, typically known as “Good Brothers”.

The Beliefs

Things You Should Do:

• Make an altar at a crossroad – for easy access and departure for spirits from 4 directions.
• Make offerings – food, drinks of the deceased.
• Burn “Hell notes” – so it becomes available to ancestors in the kingdom below.
• Release paper boats and lanterns in rivers and lakes – it gives directions to spirits.
• Talk to your ancestors – they can hear you on this day.

Things You Shouldn’t Do:

• Go swimming – it leaves you vulnerable to ghostly interception.
• Go outside after sunset – the troubled spirits are everywhere at this time of year.
• Move house at this time – it vexes the spirits who can no longer find their ancestral home.
• Open a business – it’s just plain bad luck and bad sense.
• Hold a wedding ceremony – again, it’s bad luck and bad sense.
• Get born on this day – your parents should change your birthdate if you do.
• Die on this day – you’ll be whisked away to hell and damnation with all the other spirits.

guǐ  jié       zhōng  yuán jié

鬼   节  or    中      元   节      The Chinese Ghost Festival             n.

mín jiān chuán shuō

民   间   传    说          folk lore                                  n.

祭  物                           tribute                                  n.

佛 教 徒                      Buddhist                               n.

yú lán shèng huì

盂   兰   盛  会            Ullambana                             n.

供     桌                        altar                                     n.

祖  先                        ancestor                                  n.

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For Honor Unveils the Theater of Bones Halloween Event

For Honor 's Theater of Bones Halloween event kicks off on October 26 - and if you've been wondering why Year 7 Season 3 is called "Deceit," you're about to find out. The Season will take a darker turn as the forbidden offerings of the Ghost Festival - a Wu Lin celebration to honor the dead, introduced on September 14 - are revealed to be a trap. The warriors' souls are claimed by the White Bone Spirit, who forces them to perform in her theater of evil illusions. Their one hope is her nemesis, the Monkey King Wukong, who's ready to ruin the White Bone Spirit's show and free her "performers."

The battle with the White Bone Spirit - available from October 26 until November 16 - unfolds as a new, narrative-driven PvE game mode set in a Chinese opera-inspired theater. Players will battle through four theatrical scenarios - each featuring a different set design, as well as special lighting and visual effects - before facing the true form of the White Bone Spirit herself. Players can also purchase the Monkey King Wukong as a new Hero Skin for the Shaolin, and grab a new, free Event Pass to unlock a new ornament, battle outfit, and mood effect.

This phase of Year 7 Season 3 will also feature new armor variations, as well as Hero Fests - during which players can try a Hero for free (and purchase them at a discount) for a week - for the Shaolin, Zhanhu, and Aramusha. A unique execution is also released at the beginning of each Hero Fest, and the Zhanhu Hero Fest will also coincide with the return of the Zhanhu's Gambit game mode, which will be available from November 23-30.

For Honor is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Ubisoft Connect, and is included with a Ubisoft+ subscription. For more on For Honor, keep an eye on Ubisoft News .

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