What is hungry ghost festival

[sun888_99]

Dear cecil,
What is "hungry ghost festival" and how many times does it occur. Is it same as lion dance? Thanks.

[Cecil Lee]

Hi,
Each year, the 7th month under the Lunar Calendar is called the 7th month:
1. This is also called the Hungry Ghost.
2. For this year, it is around 11 August and 9 September. If you have a Calendar with the Lunar dates, you can check out when the 7th month starts and ends.
3. To the Chinese, this is a very inauspcious period especially for:
a. Any outdoor activities and includes no renovations.
4. What is the 7th month?
In brief, this is based on Chinese `Superstition' or to be more exact, a Chinese Belief. It signifies that ghosts are let out to the world during this period they are allowed to roam around.
5. Many `celebrate' the occasion by giving offerings e.g. buying pre-packaged sweet offerings, light josticks, fruits and food by placing them at the grass verge or if they are living in flats, there are utility bins for them to burn offering papers.
During this period, if you walk around Housing Board Flats in Singapore, you may find burnt paper flying around the floor of the common areas the next day.
6. Another reason is because, especially for the aged, in my opinion, I do notice quite a lot of wakes / funeral `ceremonies' during this period.
Many pray that they do not fall `prey' to these ghosts and by offering prayers, they can applease these ghosts and thus `escape' e.g. unnatural deaths etc..
7. During this period, many from the same location set up tents and there is a performance and bidding of certain goods. This is in the hope of getting `good luck.'
8. Personally, I do not practise the above. The above is a flavour of part of the culture I have seen in my country which is predominantly of Chinese migration.
Warmest Regards,
Cecil

Quote

On 8/14/99 6:03:27 AM, Anonymous wrote:
Dear cecil,
What is "hungry ghost
festival" and how many times
does it occur. Is it same as
lion dance? Thanks.