Explainer | Hungry Ghost Festival essentials, and 5 Chinese superstitions to heed this month
- Why are people burning paper on the street? Why is no one celebrating a wedding this month? The answer lies in the Hungry Ghost Festival
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What you need to know about the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival
Learn the ins and outs of feng shui, villain hitting, and fortunetelling as well as the dos and don’ts for cultivating good luck in our series on Chinese superstitions.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the most eerie celebrations in Chinese culture and falls on the 15th day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, that day is August 18.
It is not just the day itself, though – the entire seventh lunar month is considered a little spooky, as it is believed that heaven, hell and the realm of the living become intertwined.
This has led to a practice that has now become tradition – for the whole of the month, people pay their respects to the dead to ensure they are at peace and do not cause mischief among the living.
In Hong Kong, the Hungry Ghost Festival holds special significance. The festival is thought to have roots in Buddhist, Taoist and folk traditions dating back to the Tang dynasty (618-907).
