Ghost Days

[abcdefg]

The streets in my part of Kunming are pretty empty tonight and the smell of burning paper is coming through the windows. I had noticed paper money and other ritual paper goods for sale in the wet market yesterday, and was puzzled because I knew Qingming JIe had passed

It didn't add up until a Chinese friend called just now to remind me not to go outside after dark unless it was absolutely necessary. She said during these next three days the gates of the Underworld were open and visiting spirits were wandering about. She said it was taken more seriously than Halloween in the west.

Are Ghost Days observed in your part of China?

[skylee]

This period is called 盂蘭/盂蘭節/鬼節. Down here, the festival is tomorrow (14th day of the 7th lunar month).

You can also observe 入鄉隨俗 and 信則有不信則無. They are not in conflict.

PS - this is also relevant -> お盆

[liuzhou]

I think it's pretty common across most of China (and SE Asia). It is certainly observed round here (Guangxi) and in Hunan. 中元节 or 鬼节 is based on the Buddhist / Daoist concept of 盂兰盆.

It is traditional in these parts to eat duck at this time, and I can hear my neighbours' newly acquired ducks quacking right now. Tomorrow they will be quaking.

The wikipedia article is, for once, rather good.

[xiaocai]

Not as serious here in Sichuan at my hometown. It used to be when I was little, but now has become much more casual. No dinner, no offering, just some candles and paper money. Of course it is still quite a big thing for Buddhists. The temples have been pretty busy recently.

[abcdefg]

Thanks for the background. I may not burn any "hell money," but I will definitely buy a roast duck tomorrow during daylight hours.

[Shelley]

This is very interesting. I have always wondered what other things like this there are but noone seems to write them down or talk about them.

Maybe I will start collecting these various festivals and other such things.

Any body know of any others?

Sorry to hijack this thread, maybe i should start a new one

[liuzhou]

Any body know of any others?

There are many more. Wikipedia has a partial list here and some more here.

[Mindmaxd]

It is very common in China,burning ghost money (ming bi冥币）at night,this festival is belongs to the dead people,so most people don't go out at zhongyuan festival's night.

[xiaocai]

I like 宜良烤鸭.

[abcdefg]

#9 -- I like that too, @Xiaocai. Went there again this year for a feast.

-----------------------------------------------

It's only about 6:30 p.m. now, still light, and I smelled burning paper again. Looked out the window and saw the action, as pictured below.

A chalk line was drawn around one package and that package was then burned. Same procedure for the package on the right. Incense was also offered to the spirits, with appropriate bowing. It was done safely, with a water bucket nearby. Afterwards the relatives doused the ashes.

Interesting to note that no fireworks are involved in this particular ceremony.

[liuzhou]

Interesting to note that no fireworks are involved in this particular ceremony.

They are here.The damn things have been going off all day.

[skylee]

I saw a big fire burning some offering earlier this evening. But since it was on Temple Street I didn't take a photo.

When I was a kid this was an annual activity that required some preparation. The kids had to spend a few evenings folding pieces of colourful paper (representing clothes, a lot of them) and paper with gold and silver (representing money) into rolls, and then my mother would choose a night before the festival (so as to avoid overcrowding on the street) to do the burning. IIRC there was some food (tofu and bean sprouts, and some wine, nothing lavish) too. Then we took everything, and a big metal container for the burning and a large bucket of water, down to the street. We burnt all the paper in the metal bucket and left the food on the street. And when it was over we killed the fire with the water we brought. We call this activity 燒衣 or 燒街衣.

There is a 南音 song called 男燒衣. More info can be found here.

[Mindmaxd]

_{We also write the dead people's name on the paper package in order to let them receive the money.}

[abcdefg]

I had my camera along today when I went to the market. Pieces of imitation gold and silver were available in addition to paper money. The man selling things here said it was OK to take photos. He told me you could write special wishes on the blank pages. He said paper shoes were always a popular item.

Several vendors of these items were doing a brisk business.

[OneEye]

It's serious business here in Taipei. Walking down 永康街 today there was a haze of smoke in the air and it seemed like every 10 meters or so there were people burning paper and incense. Interesting seeing all the rituals though, and it made for a good discussion topic with my English student this evening.

[jbradfor]

Why is it called 盂兰?

[i know liuzhou says "based on the Buddhist / Daoist concept of 盂兰盆.", but that doesn't help those of us that don't know what the Buddhist / Daoist concept of 盂兰盆 is.]

[icebear]

Burning piles were a very common site on Friday night (here in Beijing). Friends from Harbin (and in Harbin) mentioned that its observed there too, so apparently it's not uncommon in the north either.

[abcdefg]

#16 -- @Jbradfor -- I don't know where the names come from. When talking about it here with my friends, some call it 盂兰节 but most others call it 中元节. If I say 鬼节 they know what I mean, but it seems to not be their preferred term.

Wikipedia has an article about the Buddhist origin of the celebration, but it doesn't explain the etymology of the name, unless it's just a Chinese transliteration of "ulambana." (Which might be the case.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival#The_Buddha.27s_joyful_day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullambana

#17 -- @Icebear -- Sounds like it's quite widespread. I read it was observed in Japan and Vietnam as well as Singapore and Malaysia. Were fireworks part of it in Beijing? I didn't see or hear any in Kunming, although @Liuzhiu reported plenty of loud pops and bangs in his home town over in Guangxi.

[icebear]

I didn't see or hear any fireworks in Beijing. I was out and about in many hutongs that evening so I likely would have noticed if they were common...

[abcdefg]

It was quiet here in Kunming as well. I guess the fireworks are a regional variation.