What Is the Hungry Ghost Month?
The Hungry Ghost Month (鬼月, Guǐ Yuè) is held in August or September, depending on the lunar calendar with the highlight being the Hungry Ghost Festival (中元節, Zhōng Yuán Jie). The Hungry Ghost Festival is held on the 14th day of the seventh lunar month (August 14, 2011).During this month, it is believed the king of hell opens the gates of hell to allow ghosts to visit the living world. It is the only time of year that ghosts are released to freely roam the Earth.
The hungry ghosts, also called good brethren, are believed to be ancestors of people who were not given a proper funeral or burial. People also give sacrifices to anonymous ghosts to keep them away and from harming them.
How Is the Hungry Ghost Month Celebrated?
Ghost Month festivities begin at midnight on July 1 of the lunar calendar (July 31, 2011) when the gates of hell are open. Many temples across China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan hold ceremonies which include incense burning, food offerings, prayers and lantern lighting. Red lanterns bearing the names of the deceased are switched on and remain on for the duration of the festival.Daily rituals during the Hungry Ghost Month include offering sacrifices to the ghosts so the hungry ghosts won’t harm them. The sacrifices include rice, meat and fruit. Red candles, joss sticks, incense, and paper money are burned daily until the end of the month when it is believed the ghosts return to hell. Miniature paper items like cars, houses, and clothes are also burned as the living want to ensure the deceased have all the material goods they need for the coming year.
Some families eat vegetarian meals and set an extra place settings for each deceased family members.
In the middle of the Hungry Ghost month is the Hungry Ghost Festival on July 14th in the lunar calendar. Paper lanterns are placed on the water and burned on this evening. It is believed the gates of hell are the most open on this night. Many believers refrain from going out after the dark for fear they may encounter a ghost.
The month-long Hungry Ghost Month ends with a special folk festival, Grappling with Ghosts, which is held in Toucheng, Taiwan. In other parts of the world, the ghost return to the underworld and the gates of hell are closed on the last night of Hungry Ghost Month.
