Ghost Festival
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In Chinese tradition, the fourteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which the gates of Hades are opened to free the hungry ghosts who then wander to seek food on Earth. Some even think that the ghosts would seek revenge on those who had wronged them in their lives.
On the fourteenth day the three realms of Heaven, Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Activities during the month would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, a papier-mache form of material items such as clothes, gold and other fine goods for the visiting spirits of the ancestors. The reason why the Chinese celebrate this festival is to remember their dead family members and pay tribute to them. They also feel that offering food to the deceased appeases them and wards off bad luck.
Most Chinese would be going out less during the Ghost Month particularly the fourteenth day. Many people have seen spirits during the month. An interesting superstition that the Chinese have about the festival is that it is bad to go swimming during the 7th month. They think that an evil ghost might cause you to drown in the swimming pool. In addition to this, children are also advised to return home early and not to wander around alone at night. This belief is due to the reason that the wandering ghosts might possess children.
Once the festival is over, as the Chinese believe that the ghosts return back to where they come from.
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umm.. nice story, i guess.
Commented by Ticker — October 26, 2008 @ 12:59 am
…I’ve heard of this from my cuz who went to China…meh. Still get more scared from LA LLarona
Commented by Black Rose — March 22, 2009 @ 7:35 am
the chinese are crazy and very superstisuos. SO MANY TRADITIONS, AND BELIEFS
Commented by I BELEEVE — May 7, 2011 @ 7:18 am
Nice I’d like to go swimming on the fourteenth day of the seventh month LOL…..:-)”
Commented by Ghost lady — October 27, 2012 @ 9:18 pm