Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival
Next week is the Hungry Ghost Festival in China, an annual holiday to honor the deceased. Other countries that hold similar annual festivals include Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and India.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of several important festivals held during Ghost Month (鬼月) - the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. On the first day of Ghost Month, the gates to the afterlife are opened and ghosts are free to roam the earth where they seek food and entertainment.
To pay respect to the deceased, and satiate the hungry ghosts that have been roaming the land of the living, families put out ancestral tablets and photos, burn incense, cook and feast, and attend live performances of Chinese opera, dramas, and other productions on the day of the festival. The Hungry Ghost Festival ultimately centers around showing respect, instead of solely being a celebration, with every tradition and ritual saving space and providing for the deceased, allowing ancestors to participate in familial gatherings.
Locally, you can celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival in San Francisco this weekend: August 26, 2023 San Francisco Chinatown Hungry Ghost Festival
Learn more about the Hungry Ghost Festival:
