So, does anyone observe Hungry Ghost Month?
I didn't know about it until I saw a random headline on the news ticker we have at work: 'AP Photos: Hungry Ghosts Descend on Chinese Homes'. It was a little late - the Hungry Ghost Month began on Aug. 7th & ends Sep. 4, lol. Hungry ghosts are the spirits of people who didn't receive funerals or died with unsatisfied issues, and every year they return to the land of the living, seeking food and entertainment. People burn offerings to them - 'Hell Money', which is paper money, paper effigies of servants, gadgets & furniture, burn a lot of incense and leave out food as well. There are taboos - it's considered bad to engage in major life changes or decisions, or have wedding celebrations or birthday parties because it may make the ghosts jealous. During the Festival, the front row seats at the theaters and operas are left vacant for the ghosts. In many ways, it seems similar to some of the traditions we have during Hallowe'en/Samhain. I'm pretty enchanted by the whole thing.
What's really funny is that while I was learning about it last night, my husband was home asleep. He dreamed that he came home and people had broken in. He could smell food cooking, and sure enough there was food on the stove in the kitchen. In his dream, he was upset (a few years ago we were burglarized IRL) and was trying to figure out the best way to confront the cooking burglars, since there was more than one of them. As he was preparing, two samurai in full battle gear walked into the kitchen and attacked him. He ended up killing one of the samurai in his dream. As he was telling me about it I was like, 'OMGs! Hungry ghosts!!!'
I didn't know about it until I saw a random headline on the news ticker we have at work: 'AP Photos: Hungry Ghosts Descend on Chinese Homes'. It was a little late - the Hungry Ghost Month began on Aug. 7th & ends Sep. 4, lol. Hungry ghosts are the spirits of people who didn't receive funerals or died with unsatisfied issues, and every year they return to the land of the living, seeking food and entertainment. People burn offerings to them - 'Hell Money', which is paper money, paper effigies of servants, gadgets & furniture, burn a lot of incense and leave out food as well. There are taboos - it's considered bad to engage in major life changes or decisions, or have wedding celebrations or birthday parties because it may make the ghosts jealous. During the Festival, the front row seats at the theaters and operas are left vacant for the ghosts. In many ways, it seems similar to some of the traditions we have during Hallowe'en/Samhain. I'm pretty enchanted by the whole thing.
What's really funny is that while I was learning about it last night, my husband was home asleep. He dreamed that he came home and people had broken in. He could smell food cooking, and sure enough there was food on the stove in the kitchen. In his dream, he was upset (a few years ago we were burglarized IRL) and was trying to figure out the best way to confront the cooking burglars, since there was more than one of them. As he was preparing, two samurai in full battle gear walked into the kitchen and attacked him. He ended up killing one of the samurai in his dream. As he was telling me about it I was like, 'OMGs! Hungry ghosts!!!'