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YUE LAAN (HUNGRY GHOST) FESTIVAL
8/5/2005 8:48 pm Last Read: |
ok, this might sound scary to some of you lolz. Read if you are brave enough  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When is the festival? The Festival of the Hungry ghosts is on the seventh moon in the Chinese lunar calendar, on the 15th day. (Today is 6th Aug, 2 more weeks to go for this festival). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What is it all about? For one long lunar month during the Hungry Ghost Festival, ghosts are said to roam the earth. The gate of Hell is said to be opened during this month so even now that I have grown up, I still feel uncomfortable to go out at night around the Ghost Festival days! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What people do? In the more rural areas like the outlying islands and the new territories you will see people lighting small fires by the road to burn offerings like paper money to make the ghosts more comfortable. Proper offerings also include food items like steamed chicken or roasted pork, though the family will eat the meat after the offerings. Other food items like rice, orange or apple will be left on the street as offerings. There will be Chinese operas in some places. Popular venues are King George V Memorial Park in Kowloon, you may also find them in Morton Terrace Playground in Causeway Bay. Some Chinese will then hold a meeting to comfort / workship the spirits, hoping them to bring good luck and fortune to them. At night, incense is burnt in front of the door of each household. The more incense, the better, for the amount of incense stands for the degree of prosperity. In some places, people flow water lanterns. Such lanterns are made by setting a lotus flower-shaped lantern on a piece of board. According to the Chinese tradition, the lanterns are used to direct the ghosts. Ghosts find their way back when the lanterns are out. On the festival, all shops are closed to leave the street to the ghosts. In the middle of each street, an alter of incense is set every 100 paces with fresh fruits and sacrifices displayed on it. Behind the alter, the monks will sing songs that only the ghosts can understand. This rite is called shi ge'r, meaning singing ghost songs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please, you will never see me walking around right after 7pm at that night. I have friends that have special eyes which they can see those spirits >.< Anyway, tats what chinese called "ying yang yan". Im in luck i dont have to see those spirits. Its believed those who are in BAD luck will get to see them too. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Picture: Ashes of burnings. Huge mess on the ground and most people won't clean it up. Poor cleaners! hahaha |
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