The Hungry Ghost Festival celebrates the Taoist belief in the
afterlife.
Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore believe that the
gates of Hell open on the 7th lunar month, freeing the spirits of
the dead to roam in the world of the living.
The living, in turn, must make offerings of food and burnt
prayer money to the souls of the dead to appease them.
The ghosts in question inspire both pity and fear. The spirits
who roam the earth during this time have been denied access to
Heaven for some reason, or have no descendants on earth to make
offerings on their behalf.
The former will look for any living being to take their place in
Hell. The latter are starved from their year-long stint in Hell,
and seek sustenance during their earthly furlough.
The spirits of dead ancestors, though not as needy as the ghosts
described above, are also celebrated by their living descendants
during this time.
Celebrating Hungry Ghost Festival
Throughout Singapore and in Chinese enclaves in Malaysia (Penang
and Melaka chief among them), Chinese go all out to feed and
entertain the roaming ghosts.
In 2009, the Chinese in Malaysia celebrate Hungry Ghost Festival
from August 20 to September 18. In Singapore, the celebration is
held from August 29 to September 1.
Song stages known as getai are set up, and Chinese opera (phor
thor) and puppet shows held for both the living and the dead.
Spectators leave the first row empty to accommodate the
spirits.
More modern entertainments like karaoke and dance contests are
also held on these stages, presumably for the spirits of the more
recently deceased.
To satiate their dead relatives, Chinese will offer meals and
burn joss sticks, “hell money” (wads of fake paper money), and
assorted paper versions of earthly goods like TVs, cars, and
furniture.
The Chinese, who believe that the ancestors can help them and
their businesses from beyond the grave, do this to ensure
continuing blessings and protection from beyond.
Food offerings are also left along roadsides and street corners,
and outside houses. The latter theoretically prevent hungry ghosts
from entering residences – after all, with food just waiting
outside the door, who needs to go inside?
Visit the local Taoist temples and wet markets to see the most
spectacular displays of food offerings for Hungry Ghost. These
displays are usually overseen by an effigy of the Leader of the
Hungry Ghosts, the Taai Si Wong, who gets first dibs on the food on
the table and keeps lesser ghosts in line, preventing them from
doing too much mischief during their time on Earth. Penang boasts
of the largest Taai Si Wong in Malaysia, which is set up every year
at Market Street on Bukit Mertajam.
These places are usually fragrant affairs, as the air will be
thick with the smell of burning joss sticks. Giant “dragon” joss
sticks loom over the smaller sticks, like fenceposts in tall grass.
The giant joss sticks are usually placed by businessmen, who seek
the favor of the spirits so their businesses will do better.
On the 30th day of the seventh moon, the ghosts find their way
back to Hell, and the gates of the Underworld are shut. To see the
ghosts off, paper offerings and other goods are incinerated in a
giant bonfire. The Taai Si Wong effigy is burned along with the
rest of the goods to send him back to Hell.
Hungry Ghost Traditions
The month of Hungry Ghost Festival is, generally speaking, a bad
time to do anything. Many significant milestones are avoided at
this time, as people believe it’s simply bad luck.
Chinese believers avoid traveling or performing any significant
ceremonies throughout the festival. Businessmen avoid riding in
airplanes, buying property, or closing business deals during Hungry
Ghost Festival.
Moving house or getting married are frowned upon during this
time – it’s believed that ghosts will mess up one’s plans during
the festival, so your house or your marriage may be jeopardized at
this time.
Swimming is also a scary prospect – children are told that
hungry ghosts will pull them under, so they will have a soul to
take their place in Hell!
Elsewhere on the Web
•Dos and Don’ts During Hungry Ghost Festival
•Hungry Ghost Festival in Malaysia – Penang Tourism
•Hungry Ghost Festival in Singapore – bullockcartwater