One of the traditional festivals that the Chinese take very seriously is the Hungry Ghost Festival held on the seventh lunar month. The festival is also celebrated in other countries like Viet Nam, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore. In Singapore, though the basic tradition of the festival is retained, we celebrate the festival in our very own unique way.

The origin of the Hungry Ghost Festival differs in different cultures. Some people believe that the creation of the festival originated from the time when Maudgaly?yana, a disciple of the Buddha, released his mother from the lower realm by bringing food offerings to the sangha (a community of higher beings) on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

However, a more popular version is the folklore about Mu Lian, a very young and gentle man who constantly helped those in need. In contrast, his mother was callous and hard-hearted, ignoring beggars who asked her for food. She looked down on the poor and cared for no one but herself. Thus, she was furious when Mu Lian became a monk, as she wanted him to support her. After failing to stop him from joining monkhood, she took her anger out on other monks by giving them non-vegetarian food without their knowing. Upon death, she was banished to hell to receive punishments for her evil and unkind deeds. Mu Lian took pity on his mother and tried to feed her, but the food would turn into fire or blood and she had nothing to eat. Mu Lian prayed for his mother’s release from the hell, and his prayers touched the Buddha’s heart. The Buddha decided to open the hell gates once a year during the seventh lunar month so that sinful ghosts could return to earth and receive food. To this day, the Chinese keep this tradition of kindness.

The migration of Chinese from China to Singapore in the 18th and 19th century saw the arrival of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the traditions of which are now widely practiced amongst Singaporeans. The three most important days of the festival are the first, the fifteenth and the last day of the lunar seventh month. On the first day of the festival, people burn incense and other paper offerings in the form of money, cars, houses and such for the ghosts to bring back to hell.

On the fourteenth or fifteenth of the Hungry Ghost month, a lot of offerings are especially made to the ghosts. Large dinner events are usually organised and people may form a table of ten and tuck into a great feast. The offerings are laid out on a big table and after prayers.

Besides paying a fee of twenty dollars per diner, many also participate in the auction of items such as lantern or rice, and the proceeds are saved for next year’s festival. In addition, there are street performances, or getai, to entertain the ghosts. The stage’s background is made of brightly-coloured cardboard and is usually set up temporarily in large empty areas in the suburbs and. The spotlights are of a variety of colours like red, blue, pink and yellow and the performers wear glittery clothing. They sing and speak in Hokkien, and tell a lot of jokes. People enjoy watching these shows but they must always remember to leave a few front-row seats for the ghosts. Recently, competitions like Stomp Getai Awards have been organised, where people watch some selected getai shows and vote for the best artists. Such programmes seek to preserve the tradition of the getai as a unique part of the Singaporean culture.

This festival sees Chinese families welcoming their ancestors’ spirits back, with offerings to appease them with hopes that they bring good fortune. However, such a practice is believed to prevent the lonely ghosts from bringing bad luck to families. About twenty to thirty years ago, people even threw paper money, coins and food on the street for these lonely ghosts to pick up.

There are certain taboos that the particularly superstitious (or even those who are usually less so) religiously observe during the Hungry Ghost Festival. People usually stand in a ring and burn incense and paper notes, it is advisable that one should not step in the ring or the ghosts might follow and bring these individuals bad luck. It is also not encouraged to stay outside in the evening because there are a lot of spirits on the wandering about. Swimming in the seventh lunar month is also strongly discouraged since it is believed that spirits might attempt to drown unsuspecting victims. It is considered unlucky to travel abroad or do sign business agreements in this month. It is of no surprise that swimming complexes and travel agencies do not make much profit during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Some people who have special ability to see spirits do not go out at all. To prevent a spirit from possessing their bodies, some carry with them some small statues of heavenly creatures, which are believed to ward off such spirits.

The Hungry Ghost festival is a precious tradition that we need to maintain and pass down to the future generations. Some might think it pure superstition, but the festival’s true meaning is its role in helping to build family bonds in its emphasis on the ancestral worship and the respect to the deceased.

Article written by: [Le Minh Thu], [National Junior College]