Ghost Festival

I thought I would break my weekly posting pattern and upload a brief post about the Ghost Festival across Asia this month.

The 15th day of the 7th month of the Lunar calendar, August in the Solar, is a traditional festival day to honor the spirits of the dead held in many Asia countries. According to Taoist tradition, the spirits of the dead can roam among the living on this day. As Buddhism was introduced to Asia, this date became ominous as the concept of Hell and the suffering of the dead was introduced. Now, this festival is more than honoring the dead but also to appease them and help free those in Hell.

The Taoist name is the Zhongyuan Festival, while the Buddhists call it the Yulanpen Festival. In Indonesia, it’s called Sembahyang Rebutan. In Japan, it’s Obon. And in Vietnam, it’s called Tết Trung Nguyên. These are just a few of the different names given to this festival.

Gozan no Okuribi on a hillside in Kyoto, Japan, occurring on the final day of Obon.

During this festival, family members offer food and drink to the ghosts on altars. They burn hell bank notes in China to prevent wandering, hungry ghosts from causing misfortune. In nearly every country, large feasts are held for the spirit. In some Asian countries, live performances are held. In Taiwan, this includes holding burlesque shows in honor of ancestors. The front row is left open at these shows so the spirits can have the best seats.