The Hungry Ghost Competition falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month (30 August in 2023), with Ghost Month working from 16 August to 14 September this yr.
Should you’re in search of cultural issues to do within the metropolis, it’s at all times a good suggestion to discover these stunning Chinese language temples, decide up your subsequent reads at these Hong Kong bookstores, or take a look at completely different artwork galleries in Hong Kong. Ranging from mid-August this yr, the Hungry Ghost Competition is well known largely by the Chiu Chow group. Together with Chinese language opera and the burning of paper items, there’s a listing of issues you must and shouldn’t do to not upset our spirit brothers and sisters.
Hungry Ghost Competition in Hong Kong
What’s the Hungry Ghost Competition?
The Hungry Ghost Competition is also referred to as Zhongyuan Competition (中元節) or Yulan Competition (盂蘭節), and is well known throughout a month-long interval when varied rituals and rites happen across the metropolis to appease the ravenous ghosts. Throughout this era, also referred to as Ghost Month (鬼月), twitchy troubled spirits are stated to roam the streets and many individuals give out choices for the visiting spirits of their ancestors to appease them, together with ceremonial victuals, burned incense, joss paper, and hell cash.
Folks additionally burn rigorously crafted origami-like paper items constructed to resemble every part from clothes and designer baggage to quick meals and electronics. So, don’t be too involved if you happen to odor burning round city, and even within the corridors of your condominium block throughout this time.
Furthermore, particular sheds usually go up round city throughout this month for locals to worship the gods and provides out choices in. Native neighbourhoods additionally maintain nightly Chinese language operas, with the entrance row seats at all times left vacant and reserved for the ghosts.
Why does Hong Kong recognise the Hungry Ghost Competition?
In 2011, the competition was recognised as a part of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Its roots date again greater than 2,000 years and it’s celebrated by Buddhists and Taoists. In Hong Kong, it’s celebrated by the Chiu Chow group particularly, a lot of whom hint their roots to Guangdong province.
Hungry Ghost Competition: Dos and don’ts
- Don’t contact the meals choices and apologise if you happen to kick them by accident
- Don’t stand your chopsticks vertically into your rice, because it resembles incense used when praying to spirits, and the ravenous ghosts may assume you’re inviting them to your meal
- Don’t put on giant quantities of black or pink, as these two colors are believed to draw ghosts
- Keep away from the quantity 4, because it sounds much like the phrase for “dying” in Cantonese
- Maintain your selfies to a minimal, until you wish to invite sudden mysterious photo-bombers
- Avoid the water if you happen to can, as they are saying water spirits may drown folks in an effort to reincarnate
- Don’t transfer to a brand new home, begin new companies, or marry, because the Ghost Month is taken into account to be an inauspicious time
- Don’t decide up cash discovered on the road, and if you happen to do, by no means convey any dwelling because it’s believed that money is used to bribe the guards of hell and, if you happen to offend them, they could make the afterlife exhausting for you
- Don’t sleep dealing with the mirror or something reflective, because it attracts spirits
Be aware of all these items to keep away from in the course of the Hungry Ghost Competition in Hong Kong as a result of hey, it’s higher to be secure than sorry!
[This article was originally published in August 2018 and updated in 2023 by Elaine Wong.]
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