Chez C.
一年過去又七月 Ghost Month
Seen here, a burning giant joss incense with traditional motives carvings.
I have always been fascinated by traditions and beliefs. Growing up fearing the Ghost Month, hearing warnings from my grandmother, the big No-No during this month:
- no whistling at night
- never stay out too late
- don't turn around when you hear someone calling your name at night
- don't walk along the wall as that's where the ghosts are
Since my stay in Hong Kong, this scary day seems taking a turn, there has been various praying ceremony around town - which I have visited briefly the past years.
This year, I've decided to find out more about this event, and much grateful to many helpful seniors, I have learnt so much and also starts to find that, actually, it is not a scary event after all.
I will try my best to share what I've learnt here as I post more images in conjunction with this much misunderstood culture.
七月的鬼故事。。。其實，並不可怕
“盂蘭節是個宣揚孝道，思念好兄弟，和大家一起共聚的活動。”
盂蘭節其實是潮州人的大日子，與清明節，重陽節並列。
潮州人向來迷信，早在 1897年，便在銅鑼灣糖街舉辦第一屆盂蘭勝會。
那時，銅鑼灣渣甸洋行屬下糖廠，潮籍工人有兩百多，他們無親無故，有人逝世，同鄉為了慰藉心靈，便傚法家鄉習俗，在農曆七月超度亡魂。
上世紀五六十年代，大批潮汕移民到港，盂蘭勝會，遍地開花，成為每年一度聚首聯誼、團結鄉親的盛事。
在今日的香港就有著50多個大大小小的盂蘭勝會，在那短短的3-5天祭典中，我看到了潮州人的團結 - 潮僑個個出錢出力，熱衷參加，籌劃的長老、總理、會長，值理，全是有輩分的潮籍長者擔任，各有義務分擔經費，也負責向區內坊眾募捐。
燒衣祭祖、競投福品，又設神功戲，娛樂鄉里。
盂蘭勝會被列入國家級「非物質文化遺產」，成為旅港潮州人的驕傲。
=====
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, or Yu Lan is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries. In the Chinese calendar (a lunisolar calendar), the Ghost Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh month (14th in southern China).
In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm.
Distinct from both the Qingming Festival (in spring) and Chung Yeung Festival (in autumn) in which living descendants pay homage to their deceased ancestors, on Ghost Day, the deceased are believed to visit the living.
On the fifteenth day the realms of Heaven and Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Intrinsic to the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their deaths.
Activities during the month would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, a papier-mâché form of material items such as clothes, gold and other fine goods for the visiting spirits of the ancestors
=====
Follow my rediscovery of the Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival here:
For my past visits to the Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival here:
Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival
More Chinese Temples images here:
=====
一年過去又七月 Ghost Month
Seen here, a burning giant joss incense with traditional motives carvings.
I have always been fascinated by traditions and beliefs. Growing up fearing the Ghost Month, hearing warnings from my grandmother, the big No-No during this month:
- no whistling at night
- never stay out too late
- don't turn around when you hear someone calling your name at night
- don't walk along the wall as that's where the ghosts are
Since my stay in Hong Kong, this scary day seems taking a turn, there has been various praying ceremony around town - which I have visited briefly the past years.
This year, I've decided to find out more about this event, and much grateful to many helpful seniors, I have learnt so much and also starts to find that, actually, it is not a scary event after all.
I will try my best to share what I've learnt here as I post more images in conjunction with this much misunderstood culture.
七月的鬼故事。。。其實，並不可怕
“盂蘭節是個宣揚孝道，思念好兄弟，和大家一起共聚的活動。”
盂蘭節其實是潮州人的大日子，與清明節，重陽節並列。
潮州人向來迷信，早在 1897年，便在銅鑼灣糖街舉辦第一屆盂蘭勝會。
那時，銅鑼灣渣甸洋行屬下糖廠，潮籍工人有兩百多，他們無親無故，有人逝世，同鄉為了慰藉心靈，便傚法家鄉習俗，在農曆七月超度亡魂。
上世紀五六十年代，大批潮汕移民到港，盂蘭勝會，遍地開花，成為每年一度聚首聯誼、團結鄉親的盛事。
在今日的香港就有著50多個大大小小的盂蘭勝會，在那短短的3-5天祭典中，我看到了潮州人的團結 - 潮僑個個出錢出力，熱衷參加，籌劃的長老、總理、會長，值理，全是有輩分的潮籍長者擔任，各有義務分擔經費，也負責向區內坊眾募捐。
燒衣祭祖、競投福品，又設神功戲，娛樂鄉里。
盂蘭勝會被列入國家級「非物質文化遺產」，成為旅港潮州人的驕傲。
=====
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, or Yu Lan is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries. In the Chinese calendar (a lunisolar calendar), the Ghost Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh month (14th in southern China).
In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm.
Distinct from both the Qingming Festival (in spring) and Chung Yeung Festival (in autumn) in which living descendants pay homage to their deceased ancestors, on Ghost Day, the deceased are believed to visit the living.
On the fifteenth day the realms of Heaven and Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Intrinsic to the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their deaths.
Activities during the month would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, a papier-mâché form of material items such as clothes, gold and other fine goods for the visiting spirits of the ancestors
=====
Follow my rediscovery of the Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival here:
For my past visits to the Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival here:
Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival
More Chinese Temples images here:
=====