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This Year’s 7th Month Starts On 11 Aug; 5 Facts About The Hungry Ghost Month 2018

2018-08-08 , 9:36 am

As we get closer to National Day, another festival is creeping up on us.

The Hungry Ghost Month.

Yes, the period where you cannot call other people’s name at night. Where you have to walk where you step or you’ll offend our good brothers and sisters.

And for goodness sake, don’t pee in public.

Here are 5 facts about the Hungry Ghost Festival 2018 you need to know. Or you might just regret it *jumpscare*.

1. The Ghost Month Starts Two Days After Singapore’s National Day

We’ll start with the most important thing first. On which date will you need to start behaving yourself at night?

That means no going to Mt Faber and doing naughty things or going home at 3 am in the morning.

It’s 11 Aug 2018. Two days after Singapore’s National Day, the seventh month, a.k.a the Ghost month, starts.

If you’re still unsure what you can and cannot do during the ghost month, we’ve got you covered. You’re welcome! 😉

2. The Most ‘Happening’ Night

The Chinese believe that during the seventh month, the gate to hell is open and spirits wander the earth for a “one month holiday”.

However, that’s the seventh month. The Hungry Ghost Festival doesn’t last the entire month, it only lasts one day. And we call this day the fiercest because this is the day (or night) where spirits are at the peak of their strength.

And evil spirits are able to bring harm to the living.

This year, the Hungry Ghost Festival will fall on 25 Aug 2018, the 15th day of the lunar seventh month.

That’s a Saturday, so forgo your clubbing for that night, okay?

3. When will the Hungry Ghost Month end?

After an entire month of jumping at shadows, you just want it to end, right?

For this year, the Hungry Ghost Month will end on 9 Sep 2018, so mark that date down on your calendar.

4. Getais Happening in S’pore

Every year during the seventh month, getais will be set up to entertain our good brothers and sisters on their holiday.

And this year isn’t any different.

TIL: Did you know there’s a Facebook page set up for getais in Singapore?

Here are the places you can go and watch traditional performances this month.

Just make sure you don’t sit in the front row, okay? Because they’re reserved for the VVIPs.

5. Different Countries View The Hungry Ghost Month Differently

You’d have thought that every country celebrates the hungry ghost month the same way. After all, that’s what Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan do.

But nope, not true.

In Japan, the seventh month is celebrated a tad bit differently.

They celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival the same way Singaporeans do during Chinese New Year.

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.

Kind of similar to our Qing Ming festival, if you come to think about it.

So there you go, 5 facts about Hungry Ghost Festival 2018 you need to know. Especially #1, #2 and #3.