Chez C.
”立燈篙“召喚八方好兄弟 @ 盂蘭節 | Light of Summon @ Hungry Ghosts Festival
Unlike the Grand Lantern which stood right at the center, shinning its guardian over the whole ceremony; by the corner, a waxed-paper lantern is seen hanging high up from a bamboo.
This lantern is called the Light of Summon, day and night, sending invitation to the spiritual "good brothers" from far to join this salvation ceremony, the higher it hangs, the further it will summon and relatively, more oblation materials are to be prepared. Therefore, the scale of the ceremony can be seen through the height of this lantern.
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** Origin and facts of the Hungry Ghost Festival:
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
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More images of the Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival here:
Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival
More Chinese Temples images here:
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Photo shot with Nikon D600 +AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED
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”立燈篙“召喚八方好兄弟 @ 盂蘭節 | Light of Summon @ Hungry Ghosts Festival
Unlike the Grand Lantern which stood right at the center, shinning its guardian over the whole ceremony; by the corner, a waxed-paper lantern is seen hanging high up from a bamboo.
This lantern is called the Light of Summon, day and night, sending invitation to the spiritual "good brothers" from far to join this salvation ceremony, the higher it hangs, the further it will summon and relatively, more oblation materials are to be prepared. Therefore, the scale of the ceremony can be seen through the height of this lantern.
=====
** Origin and facts of the Hungry Ghost Festival:
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
=====
More images of the Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival here:
Hungry Ghosts "Yu Lan" Festival
More Chinese Temples images here:
=====
Photo shot with Nikon D600 +AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED
=====