Spooks

Here’s What NOT To Do During the Hungry Ghost Festival

2016-07-29 , 6:02 pm

The annual Hungry Ghost Festival might just be the only month-long celebration that we’re not looking forward to – and with good reason.

Held on the seventh month of the lunar calendar (hence its other moniker as the Seventh Month), the Chinese believe that this is when hungry, discontented spirits roam the earth in their bid to find peace.

Throughout the month, families do everything they can to placate them with offerings of food, money and joss sticks; also keeping in mind of what not to do during this period.

These include:

1. Don’t disturb offerings/joss sticks left out along the roadside.

They’re there for a reason. Leave them be.

2. Don’t turn back if you hear someone calling you.

The Chinese believe that there are two “torches” of fire on your shoulders. Turning your head over your shoulders will put out said torches, causing an imbalance of yin and yang energy. This makes you more vulnerable to being possessed by a vengeful spirit.

If need be, turn your whole body when someone calls you from the back. But the best thing you can do is still to ignore it, and just keep walking straight.

3. Don’t stab chopsticks into your bowl of rice.

Not only is it bad table manners, it also resembles the joss sticks offerings to the dead. So basically, you’re telling them that it’s their food instead of yours. Doesn’t bode well for you, IMO.

4. Don’t take photos at night.

It’s not a selfie if you’re not the only one in the photo.

5. Don’t open umbrellas in the house.

That’s an open invitation for wandering ghosts to seek shelter under the umbrella. Fingers crossed it doesn’t rain.

6. Don’t wear red clothing.

Spirits are apparently attracted to red, so a smart thing to do would be to steer clear of the colour. Unless you want to risk being possessed, that is.

7. Don’t fill the front row seats at Getais.

Sadly, you’re not the VIPs of the night. Unless you fancy sitting on the laps of ghosts, leave the front row seats at Getais empty.

Featured Image: thepoppingpost.com

This post was first published on goodyfeed.com

Here’s What NOT To Do During the Hungry Ghost Festival

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