According to Chinese custom, the seventh month of the lunar calendar is Ghost Month. On the first day of the seventh
lunar month, the gates of the Hell are opened and it is believed that ghosts from the underworld are allowed a
month of freedom and haunt in the living world.
During the eerie month, there are also some taboos that people follows. For example, to avoid whistling, swimming, surgery, buying cars and hanging clothes up to dry, going
out at night. It is also important that addresses and name are not revealed to
the ghosts. These taboos seems illogical but people always try best to follow the rules as we really want to avoid any trouble that’s ghost-related......
Chungyuan PuDu(中元普渡) is held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, we call Ghost Festival or Chungyuan Festival(中元節). Incense and food are offered to the ghost to avoid them visiting homes and spirit paper money is also burnt as an offering. Believers also think that the food for the ghost will bring them
good luck if they eat it.
Numerous traditional activities are held around Taiwan during Ghost Month, the best-knownings are releasing Water Lanterns in Keelung and Chiang Gu(搶孤) in Yilan Toucheng.
The purpose of releasing Water Lanterns in custom is
to help light the way for the lost spirits in the water, call the spirits
to come on land to enjoy the offerings and pray for the early
reincarnation of these spirits. It is also said that the farther a
lanterns, the better the fortune that the clan it represents will
enjoy in the coming year.
Chiang Gu(搶孤) is a pole-climbing competitions for the food offerings. The competitor need to climb a pole with 12 feet height and oil spreading on the surface by the fastest speed they can. It is always the liveliest scene during Ghost Month.
On the 29th day of the seventh lunar month, the last day of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost month will be the end and we said “Closing of the ghost gate". People will prepare cooked food outside the doors of their homes as a farewell dinner for the lonely ghosts. However, some lonely ghosts might be unwilling to return to the underworld. Temples will invite ChungKuei who is a deity who protects humans from evil to escort the ghost and keep people safe and peace.
No matter you believe the ghosts or not. Hope this article will help you understand Taiwanese culture more and enjoy the interesting story.
References:
http://www.hitutor.com.tw/ghosts-festival.php
http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/
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