China's Hungry Ghost Festival

By Luo Shiwen

Ghosts are a complex and fascinating part of Chinese culture. They reflect the Chinese people's beliefs about death, the afterlife, and the relationship between the living and the dead.

The earliest known Chinese beliefs about ghosts date back to the Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). During this time, the Chinese believed that the soul was made up of two parts: the po (魄), which was the physical body, and the hun (魂), which was the spirit or soul. When a person died, the po would decompose, but the hun would continue to exist in the afterlife.

The Chinese believed that ghosts could be both benevolent and malevolent. Benevolent ghosts were typically the spirits of ancestors who had died a peaceful death. They were believed to be able to protect and guide their living descendants. Malevolent ghosts were the spirits of people who had died a violent or untimely death. They were believed to be vengeful and could bring harm to the living.

Belief in ghosts remains widespread in China today. However, there is a great deal of variation in people's beliefs about ghosts. Some people believe that ghosts are real and can interact with the living. Others believe that ghosts are simply symbolic representations of the dead.

There are also many different types of ghosts in Chinese culture. Some of the most common types of ghosts include:

• Weird ghosts (怪鬼; 妖鬼; yāoguǐ or guàiguǐ) were consumed by materialism in life and can transform into any physical object.
• Drought ghosts (魃鬼; báguǐ) were consumed by carnal lust in life and can create hot, dry winds.
• Trickster ghosts (魅鬼; mèiguǐ) caused confusion in life and can transform into animals.
• Venomous ghosts (蠱毒鬼; gǔdú-guǐ) were hateful to others in life and can transform into insects.
• Pestilence ghosts (疠鬼; lìguǐ) harbored grudges in life and can cause disease and decay.
• Hungry ghosts (饿鬼; èguǐ) were arrogant in life and can take on gaseous forms.
• Nightmare ghosts (魘鬼; yǎnguǐ) were frauds in life and can transform into pure darkness.
• Goblin ghosts (魍魉鬼; wǎngliǎng-guǐ) were corrupted by their desire for insight in life and are formed from the essential energy within rocks and trees.
• Servant ghosts (役使鬼; yìshǐ-guǐ) were corrupted by their desire for accomplishment in life and can transform into blinding light.
• Messenger ghosts (传送鬼; chuánsòng-guǐ) were litigious in life and can transform into any person.

The Festival

The annual Hungry Ghost Festival (盂蘭盆節), celebrated in China (including Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions), Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and elsewhere in the Chinese diaspora, is dedicated to performing rituals to honor and remember the spirits of the dead.

Also known as Yu Lan Jie in China, it typically falls on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. It's a time to honor and appease the spirits of deceased ancestors and wandering souls.

The Festival has its roots in Buddhist and Taoist beliefs. It dates back over 2,000 years and is linked to the story of Mulian, a Buddhist monk who tried to save his deceased mother's soul from suffering in the afterlife. During the festival, people perform various rituals to honor and care for the spirits. This includes setting up elaborate altars with offerings of food, incense, and other items.

Many people also burn joss paper, also known as spirit money, to provide for the needs of the spirits.

There are several taboos associated with the Hungry Ghost Festival, such as avoiding swimming at night to prevent encountering vengeful spirits. It's also considered unlucky to disturb offerings or step on paper offerings.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is an important part of Chinese culture and is observed by many Chinese communities around the world. It reflects the importance of filial piety and the belief in the afterlife within Chinese tradition.