How to avoid hungry ghosts and placate “good brothers” this Zhongyuan Festival
Don’t stay out too late tonight, because this is the night when many ghosts roam the streets—this spine-chilling admonition is told to many a Chinese child on Zhongyuan “Hungry Ghost” Festival, held on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.
Popular folk belief has it that around this time of year, the King of Hell opens the gates of the underworld so the deceased can return to the human realm for a visit—that includes not just your loving ancestors, but also wild and lonely ghosts starved of worship rituals or offerings from their offspring. In Daoist tradition, the revered deity Diguan, or “Official of Earth,” takes the fifteenth day of the month to absolve the sins of the world.
Buddhists celebrate this day as Ullambana, with a different origin story in which Maudgalyayana, a disciple of Buddha known as Mulian in China, set up food offerings for members of the Buddhist sangha to request their help to redeem his mother from the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, where she was condemned to suffer from starvation. Eventually, this day became a time to commemorate the filial piety of Mulian, and make offerings to all departed spirits.
As the lines between worlds and belief systems blur on this day, the occasion has become associated with taboos and elaborate rituals. People pay their respects to the deceased and seek to steer clear of other-worldly troubles. However, Zhongyuan Festival is not universally characterized by solemnity and spookiness, as for some, it has evolved into an opportunity for various feasts and festivities, which may involve everything from ducks, to paper iPhones, and even pole dancing.
Taking care of ancestors and “good brothers”
Intersections and riversides (locations believed to offer easy connection to other worlds) are lit up by flames, as worshipers burn joss paper, hoping to send wealth to their deceased ancestors and relatives.
Some suggest, while burning offerings for your ancestors, you should leave a few bank notes nearby to appease any wild ghosts, so that they won’t take the offerings intended for your beloved. In areas including Taiwan and Minnan (the coastal region of southern Fujian province), people refer to these wild spirits with the euphemism “good brothers.”
Siyi is the Culture Editor at The World of Chinese. She writes about arts, culture, and society, and is ever-curious about the minds, hearts, and souls inside all of these spheres. Before joining TWOC, she was a freelance writer with some additional work experience in independent filmmaking and the field of education.
