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King of Hell and the
other deities are worshipped at temples.
In my childhood, when the festival sets in, a sacrificial alter and a chair is built
for the Buddhist priest either at street entrances or in front of
villages. In front of the chair sets the statue of the King of
Hell Di Zang. Under it are plates of flour-made rice and
peaches. On the sacrificial alter are three spirit tablets and
three funeral banners. After noon, pigs, chicken, geese and
cakes, fruits of all kinds donated by households are displayed on the
alter. On every sacrifice the Buddhist priest will put a
triangular paper banner of three colors with special characters.
After the rite gets started in solemn music, the priest will strike
the bell to call back the souls, other monks singing chimes of
incantations. Then he will throw the rice and peaches into the
air in all directions to distribute them to the souls.
At night, incense is burnt in front of the door of each household.
The more incense, the better, for the amount of incense stands for the
degree of prosperity. In some places, people flow water
lanterns. Such lanterns are made by setting a lotus
flower-shaped lantern on a piece of board. According to the
Chinese tradition, the lanterns are used to direct the ghosts.
Ghosts find their way back when the lanterns are out. On the
festival, all shops are closed to leave the street to the ghosts.
In the middle of each street, an alter of incense is set every 100
paces with fresh fruits and sacrifices displayed on it. Behind
the alter, the monks will sing songs that only the ghosts can
understand. This rite is called shi ge'r, meaning singing ghost
songs.
Shang Yuan Festival falls on the same day as Lantern Festival, when
people hang out various beautiful lanterns to celebrate the first full
moon of the Lunar Year. Zhong Yuan Festival follows Shang Yuan
Festival. As the former is one for the ghosts, people think that
they should also hang out lanterns to celebrate for the ghosts.
However, there is some difference. As human beings and land
belong to yang, which means positive, so ghosts and water belong to
yin, which means negative. The dark and mysterious underworld
usually reminds us of the gloomy sepulchral hell where the ghosts
suffer. So at Shang Yuan Festival, lanterns should be hung on
land while those at Zhong Yuan Festival should be flown on waters.
The festival is an intriguing display of mass celebration using
beautifully created imagery that is ultimately burnt. For those
unfamiliar with the custom, the burning of beautiful paper items can
seem to be a little alarming, however an understanding of the beliefs
helps develop an appreciation for this ritual burning.
Chinese families offer sacrifices to appease, ease and please the
ghosts through gifts and food carefully presented outside their homes
and in public places. Offerings of fruit, rice and other food
products are ritually places as incense burns to purify the air and
discourage the souls from entering the home.
It is the fascinating paper ephemera creations of this traditional
festival that provide rich and colorful celebration of the dead and
the wonder of the other world. ‘Spirit money’ is burnt to communicate
with the ghosts and gods. ‘Fomao’ (yu) – thin yellow sheets of
paper inscribed with incantations and prayers are burned to help
departed spirits enter the ‘Pure Land’ (Western Paradise).
‘Shoujin’ – sheets of yellow paper brushed with gold and decorated
with a picture of the gods of Happiness, Wealth and Longevity and
burned as offerings to the major deities. Gifts of small paper
suits of clothing, paper jewellery and accessories are also burnt in
an attempt to appease the wandering souls.
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