abcdefg Posted August 28, 2015 at 12:46 PM Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 at 12:46 PM Yesterday evening I smelled smoke coming in my living room window. Went to take a look, wondering if the building was on fire. Instead it was some elderly Chinese burning fake paper money and flammable effigies of desirable consumer goods. Could not see the details since I live on the 4th floor. Today as I walked to the wet market, I saw signs of last night on a nearby street. Flowers plus ashes. Didn't notice any food. (Snapshot attached below.) Didn't really know what the occasion was, but the guy from whom I buy eggs 土鸡蛋 at the market is friendly and his sister operates a stall selling ceremonial/religious goods next door. Asked him what was the occasion and he said it was 中元节 zhongyuan jie, adding that it was mainly observed by old folks in these parts. I had not known about it before, but have seen similar observances at other times of year, mainly Tomb Sweeping Day 清明节。 Anyone else notice it near where you live? Looked up a little about it: http://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/hungry-ghost-festival.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival In Chinese culture, the fifteenth 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 (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm. Distinct from both the Qingming Festival (in spring) and Double Ninth Festival (in autumn) in which living descendants pay homage to their deceased ancestors, during Ghost Festival, the deceased are believed to visit the living. (Wikipedia quote) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted August 28, 2015 at 12:52 PM Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 at 12:52 PM Over here we call it 盂蘭節, aka 鬼節. When I was a kid, we used to do that burning ceremony to feed the hungry ghosts hanging around in the seventh lunar month when the door of the hell is open. This is very different from 清明節. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted August 28, 2015 at 12:56 PM Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 at 12:56 PM Skylee -- In Hong Kong does it include setting out some fruit or other food? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted August 28, 2015 at 01:03 PM Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 at 01:03 PM Yes. Fruit, tofu, wine, burning of fake money. But that was when I was a child. I am not sure what people do now. But I smelled burning on the street today, so there must still be some people doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChTTay Posted August 28, 2015 at 02:53 PM Report Share Posted August 28, 2015 at 02:53 PM I saw some old folks burning money near Lama Temple in Beijing. I did wonder what the occasion was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted August 29, 2015 at 01:54 PM Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 at 01:54 PM I bet that's what it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mixia Posted August 31, 2015 at 07:50 AM Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 at 07:50 AM Our Taiwanese teachers told us that they would even put water, towels and toothbrushes out so that the ghosts could wash. The ghost are considered to be the ancestors no one cares about because either their family died or don't care. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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