The Do's and Don'ts in Hungry Ghost Festival
 

Hungry Ghost rituals were performed even at shopping complex in Chinatown.

Things that people DO

(1) Street rituals - To perform the rituals required to keep the ghosts happy.  Most people will carry these out in the street.  They will prepare rice, rice wine, bean sprouts, bean curd, fruits, dried logan and peanuts or candles to serve the ghosts.  Then they will light up a pair of red candles and incense to please the ghosts."   Ma adds that different types of paper are burned which act as "yin" money for the ghosts. "People will also leave some coins on the floor," he says. "These are called 'yang' money, because the strike a balance with the yin money."

(2) Safe Guard the house - To avoid being disturbed by the wandering ghosts, households also post drawings of Zhong Kui, the ghost catcher.  Not just a catcher of ghosts - Zhong devours spirits after he catches them.

(3) Worship ancestors - During the festival month, families worship their ancestors, visit the graves of their dearly departed and light lotus lanterns on rivers and seas so that the dead can find their way home.  In Taoist temples, altars are set up where prayers for good fortune and rituals to redeem the souls of the dead are performed.

(4) Opera - Beside offerings to the dead, temple rituals and reciting the Buddhist scriptures, Chinese opera is performed to entertain the ghosts.  Temple operas always take place in the evening when the local elite and members of the troupe burn incense and offer prayers before the show starts.  Temple operas revolve around all kinds of themes.  In the past, nobody viewed the opera because it was only performed for ghosts, not mortals.  But nowadays, it entertains people as well as spirits.

(5) Lotus lanterns - In villages and towns located on the banks of rivers, people make lotus-shaped lanterns from waterproof paper or rinds of fruit or gourds.  The lotus is used because the flower a symbol of Buddhism meaning purity.  They light a candle in each of these lanterns and then allow the lit lanterns to float down the river.  They will try to follow the paths of their lanterns from the riverbank until they are out of sight.  This is done to redeem the souls of those who had died by drowning.


Things that people DON'T

(1) Don't walk in the dark or near the walls - In order to avoid a run in with a spirit there are many forms of  behavior that must be adhered to.  Ghosts like to walk along the walls and hide themselves around dark comers.  When you go out at night, try to go to places with lights and where there are crowds. Ghosts are most likely to be seen in old districts, such as Outram Park and Bugis.

(2) Don't mess with the offerings for ghosts - Children are reminded NOT to pick up the coins and food on the street as this is what will upset the ghosts.  The coins and food are for the ghosts.  If you pick them up the ghosts will think that you are competing with them and they might take revenge.  But you should not panic if you do run into a ghoul.  If you ever see a ghost, don't panic; pretend that you see nothing and they will leave you in peace in most cases.

(3) Don't go swimming - It is a general belief that swimmers will get drown with high probabilities when they swim during the month Hungry Ghost festival.  Ghosts like to adhere with water for water provides cool and "yin" energy.  Hungry ghosts are particularly active, and some are too vengeful to kill in order to find another innocent soul to "substitute" his doomed destiny.  Avoid taking boats, walking near water such as pond, river and beach at night, and crossing bridge too.  Stories have been told that mysterious forces would cause accident on pedestrians near water.

(4) Don't hang out too late at night - a simple logic.  If you stay outside in streets, chances for bumping into a strayed hungry ghost is of course higher.  Elderly have warned us must be back home by midnight during Hungry Ghost month.
 

You will see rite burnings and offerings are everywhere; leaving much ashes behind.

SPI's response

This is a tricky question as of whether you believe or not.  We are not telling you whether you should believe or not.  From a scientific point of view, it might have to do with our psychological fear more than anything else.  Some will think burning offering for ghosts to receive is absolutely ridiculous.  Then this would have almost no influence in their mind; hence they will have no fear nor any shadow in their sub-consciousness toward this matter.  To them, the tradition is a total nonsense.  On the other hand, for those people who have grown up in a family that is strongly devoted into such belief, this superstitious matters would have influenced their mind from their childhood.  Some may choose to continue to believe as their families do.  And some may be neutral but yet fear not to deny them.  That is, as for most people in most cases, they don't mind about the DO's and they would still try to avoid the DON'Ts lest they fear to offend the unknown...

E.g. bearing in mind that there would be a potential danger (as one of the DON'Ts) to go swimming during Hungry Ghost month, the swimmer may get distracted easily in the swim.  He tends to be very sensitive to even the slightest signals he picks up when he keeps thinking of the horror that 'ghosts will pull your leg in water'.  A slight touch of his feet at the wall of the pool or a small muscle tension, will turn into a great impact on his perception.  Thereafter accidents would more likely to occur.  For another example, Kenny, one of the SPI members who is a Christian, goes swimming as often as he likes even during Hungry Ghost month, has survived for more than thirty years.  He is still sound and kicking today.

Next we will share with you an ancient Chinese ghost story.  It is not a horror story that gives you a chill, but it may give you a new insight towards how do we believe in ghosts.