This year, the Hungry Ghost Festival will occur on 27 August.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is an occasion to honour the deceased and spirits.
Taboos to be avoid misfortune during the Hungry Ghost Festival include a placing the chopstick at rest the polite way.
Did you know that swimming in the sea, singing at night, and sitting in the wrong row during the Hungry Ghost Festival can cause trouble with spirits?
Veneration for the dead is present in many cultures. The Latinos honour returning souls during the Día de los Muertos, while the Hindus pay tribute to their ancestors with the Pitra Paksha. Born from Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, the Hungry Ghost Festival occurs every year on the 15th day of the 7th month according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Falling on 27 August this year, the occasion represents the openings of realms in the afterlife, allowing ghosts and the spirits of the deceased to roam free in the living world.
During this time, rituals will be conducted to assuage the spirits suffering in Hell, and offerings in the form of joss paper, representing money, and papier-mâché renditions of luxury products are burnt as tributes. Meals will also be laid out at the sites of offerings for the spirits to indulge in. More than just stories meant to frighten children, taboos established for the Hungry Ghost Festival are in place to ensure traditions are respected, and serve as cautionary tales for those who conduct themselves otherwise. Below are some of the most popular things not to do during the Hungry Ghost Festival, or else…
Drawing attention to bizarre environments
If the room suddenly goes chilly or the trees start rustling without a breeze, it’s best to ignore it altogether. An old wives’ tale states that calling out the weird happenings will make the unexplainable occurrences even worse. The next time someone calls out from the dark, simply go on your merry way.
Looking over the shoulder
Chinese folklore dictates that a protective invisible force rests on both shoulders and the forehead. Looking over the shoulder means putting it out and allowing oneself to be vulnerable in the presence of spirits. When confronting something drawing attention from behind, always turn the entire body to be safe.
Opening umbrellas indoors
Wandering spirits are known to take shelter in the shade, according to this popular Asian superstition. Opening an umbrella indoors may thus cause those trapped underneath it to be released within one’s living space. So, if having uninvited supernatural guests at home isn’t on the checklist, leave the umbrella opening for the outdoors on rainy days.
Placing chopsticks upright into food
Widely seen as a bad omen that brings death and bad luck to meals in many Asian cultures, the appearance of upright chopsticks in rice strongly resembles an incense offering. During the Hungry Ghost Festival, the act also represents a welcoming gesture for spirits — malevolent or not — to join the meal.
Pocketing money from the streets
Always leave the stray dollar on the pavement, as it may be offerings meant for the guardians of Hell. As one can imagine, robbing these spirits can’t spell out pleasant consequences. On another note, the Chinese also believe that money left discarded in public spaces, especially if it’s of a substantial sum, may be an attempt by families of the deceased to trap a living partner in a ghost wedding.
Riding the last bus or train home
Word has it that spirits tend to be tardy, and their preferred method of choice is taking the last bus or train to their destination. To avoid the potential of rubbing shoulders with the unknown, making the journey home at an earlier hour is recommended during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Singing and whistling at night
Whether one has the vocal abilities of a singer or not is beside the point. Melodic tunes call out to the spirits and gather them when the sun goes down. And who wants to be shocked by a spooky encounter anyway?
Sitting front row at street opera
Publicly staged performances are a common sight during the Hungry Ghost Festival, and two details are usually observed. The first is the elaborate singing style of Chinese opera, and the second is the absence of people in the front row seats. The reason? Those are meant for the spirits to enjoy the entertainment.
Swimming in open waters
Just like those amongst the living, there’s the good, the bad, and the truly wicked. Spirits dwelling in open waters such as the sea fall into the latter category. To avoid encountering these spirits and their penchant for drowning their victims, swimming at sea is highly discouraged during the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Taking photos at night
Sometimes the camera lens captures things the eye couldn’t in high resolution. And if there’s one lesson to take away from horror films such as The Blair Witch Project or [REC], it’s that nobody wants to be caught in frame with a supernatural being. This taboo warns that those who have snapped images at night run the risk of trapping spirits in their cameras and phones, and taking them home to cause spooky disturbances.