10 Facts About Hungry Ghost Festival S’poreans Should Know

Soon, you would notice lots of joss sticks and offerings on nearby grass patches. In fact, if you’re lucky enough, you might even see one of those legendary Chinese burning incense paper by the sides, seemingly absorbed in their task.

But hold on just a moment before you ask if you can join in, because contrary to what it looks like it’s not for fun. Instead, they are actually paying respects to the dead as customary of the Hungry Ghost Festival, an annual tradition that’s believed to be when the dead exit the Netherworld and roam the Earth once again.

…

Yeah, you probably shouldn’t touch one of those incense papers now. Unless you want some extra eyes on the back of your head. But that’s for another article.

There are many things you shouldn’t do from 1 August 2019 onwards, and here’s a video we’ve done previously about the unknown taboos:

Anyways, did you know Hungry Ghost Festival is way more than just hungry ghosts having a party? Yes, unbelievable as it sounds, it actually has way more in its disposal than say, Steven Lim without his six-pack.

So without further ado, let’s get the show on the road. And don’t look behind you because there’s something there.

1. The Hungry Ghost Festival isn’t just Limited to the Chinese

Yes, my large-eyed friends. Despite every single believer being distinctly small-eyed (half-joking), the Hungry Ghost Festival isn’t actually a Chinese belief that originates from China.

In fact, India, Japan and other places like Taiwan, Cambodia, Thailand and even Vietnam celebrate the festival in their own ways, and according to their own beliefs.

So yes, it’s not just the Chinese okay.

2. The Hungry Ghost Festival is really only one day

Yes, my fellow Chinese people; despite having been told all our lives that the Hungry Ghost Festival lasts for an entire month, it’s really only one single day.

The customary tradition is ‘celebrated’ either on the 14th or 15th day of the lunar seventh month, and is known as the Ghost Day. And this year (2019), it happens to fall on 15 August.

So watch your kids, watch your girlfriends and watch your wives that day, because the men in white will be out to ‘dabao’ some ‘groceries’ back home. 😉

3. But what’s the Hungry Ghost Festival really about?

Sure, people pay respects by burning incense paper and stuff, but what’s the HGF really all about? Well as it turns out…

“It is believed that parts of the belief in the Hungry Ghost Festival has its roots in Taoism. On the first day of the seventh month, hungry ghosts are released from the gates of Hell to roam the living realm for exactly a month to look for food or to take revenge on those who have behaved badly.

“Due to such belief, people take precaution during the seventh month by burning paper money and joss incense, offering food to the “wandering ghosts” as well as pray to their ancestors for blessings.”

So yes, my dear friendly Singaporeans. They’re definitely not doing it for fun.

4. But the Buddhists see it in a different light

According to the Buddhist, the seventh month of the lunar year is not a month to be afraid of. In fact, they see it as a month of joy. This origin was found in various Buddhist texts. The month of joy had its roots in the behaviours of the monks in Buddha’s days.

When Buddha was alive, his disciples departed into the forest of India to mediate during the rainy season of summer and would emerge on the 15^th day of the seventh month to celebrate the completion of their mediation and report to the Buddha. Hence, the Hungry Ghost Festival is seen as a day of joy by the Buddhists.

…

Even so, I still don’t think they’re doing it for fun.

I know I don’t find it fun. 

5. Filial Piety

Apparently, it’s not just joy and Kinder Buenos either.

In another version of the Buddhist origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival, it is also filial piety. The story is rooted in a Buddhist sutra whereby a monk, upon becoming an arhat, came to know that his mother had been reborn as a hungry ghost due to her unkind deeds as a human.

In order to save her, the monk sought the Buddha for help. With the Buddha’s advice, the monk began to offer food and robes to 500 bhikkhus (monks) every year during the 14^th day of the seventh month. Through his merits, his mother was finally reborn as a human again. Therefore, Buddhists prayed to their ancestors during the Hungry Ghost Festival as a way to show their filial piety.

Xiao touched.

6. Getais

And of course, no Hungry Ghost Festival will be complete without getais, although I’ve no idea whether our fallen brethen genuinely like the performances or are just there to show face.

Performed by groups of singers (some of them are famous as getai performers), these getais are always held in temporary stages. These are local celebratory events, as they are not popular elsewhere in the world. In fact, China has mostly Chinese opera instead. While Singapore still have some Chinese opera performances, most of them have been replaced by the getai.

7. There’s a reason for everything

You might wonder why believers burn paper money and offer food to unknown ghosts during the seventh month, and I’m here to tell you.

It’s not for charity.

Rather, they do so in order to seek the pleasure of these homeless souls so that they will not be disturbed. By offering whatever they can, they appease the wandering ghosts and prevent them from intruding into the lives of the believers.

So yeah, as Singaporeans put it.

We are kiasi and we know it.

8. Indonesia Has a Similar Celebration

You might be surprised to know this, but Indonesia has a similar celebration during the lunar seventh month as well. Called Cioko, or Sembahyang Rebutan (scrambling prayer), people will gather in temples, bringing with them an offering to a spirit which had died in an unlucky way.

After the prayers, the offerings are then distributed to the poor as a form of charity.

9. And let’s not forget about Taiwan

Because it has a rather unique way of celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Traditionally believed that wandering ghosts haunt the island of Taiwan for the entire Ghost Month, the Taiwanese perform rituals to protect themselves from the wandering ghosts. On the first day of the month, they open the gates of a temple, symbolising the gates of Hell being open.

Thereafter, on the 12^th day, they light the lamps on the main altar. The next day, a procession of lanterns is held as a way to guide the spirits to the “right place” for a parade and a feast that will be held on the 14^th day.

The parade releases water lanterns, a symbol to guide the wandering ghosts in the right directions. Food and drinks are offered on this day to the spirits so that they will not visit homes and disturb the peace within.

10. Last but not least…

The Hungry Ghost Festival is actually celebrated as a family reunion holiday. And no, I’m not kidding.

In Japan, the land of rising suns and anime girls, things are very different. For one, they celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival the same way Singaporeans do during Chinese New Year. For two, as they do not celebrate Chinese New Year, it holds meaning to the Japanese to go home during the Hungry Ghost Festival to reunite with their families and then proceed to visit and clean the resting places of their ancestors.

…

I wonder where they are joined at the dinner table by some extra guests tho. 

Hungry Ghost Festival

And there you have it folks: 10 facts about this famished spirit club that you gotta know about. I bet you didn’t expect the last point, did you? Or the fact that the underworld has its own Zouk. Hah.

Yet even though I wrote this article in such a nonchalant manner, I know one thing for sure.

I’m not looking up at trees come 1st of August.

Though my friends do say that it feels like the HGF whenever I’m in the office #AmIThatScary?