| By now you should probably be aware of the 2008 | | | | of the Buddha, well-known for his psychic powers, |
| Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing, China, this | | | | searched for his deceased mother during one of his |
| coming August. However, there is at least another | | | | meditation session. He found his mother being reborn in |
| event going on in (and beneath) China during August. | | | | the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts due to her previous |
| | | | | greed. Seeking Buddha’s advice, he eased his |
| Every year, during the seventh month of the Chinese | | | | mother’s suffering and eventual rebirth into a |
| Calendar, it is believed that the Gates of Hell will be | | | | human form by performing various rituals of merits |
| opened and all Hell beings (well, not nearly all, only | | | | creation and offerings. This is the famous |
| those well-behaved ones) will be set to roam freely on | | | | “Mahamaudgalyayana Saving His Mother” |
| Earth for a month. In this month, many spirits roamed | | | | storyline which is often performed in Chinese opera. In |
| the world in search of their past memories to fulfil their | | | | the Chinese context, more emphasis is placed on |
| unforgotten attachments. As such, these are called the | | | | offerings to the ancestors than to the Sangha, or |
| “hungry ghosts” and the festival is also called | | | | monks, as in the original Ullambana practice in |
| the Hungry Ghost Festival. | | | | Buddhism. |
| | | | | |
| The Hungry Ghosts festival occurs on the 15th night of | | | | There are similar festivals around the world as well. |
| the 7th Lunar month which falls on the 15th of August | | | | These include the El Día de los Muertos Festival in |
| this year. This festival is different from the more | | | | Mexico, the Chugen and O-Bon Festivals in Japan as |
| well-known Qing Ming Festival (???), or the | | | | well as the Vu Lan Festival in Vietnam. This shows |
| tomb-sweeping day which is now an official holiday in | | | | that people today are still in awed and respectful |
| China and is predominantly an ancestor worshipping | | | | towards the mysterious underworld. For the Chinese |
| day. The Ghost Festival on the other hand is for the | | | | Hungry Ghost Festival in particular, it is a yearly |
| ancestors to return the visit and is a festival of | | | | reinforcement and reminder of one’s filial |
| elaborate rituals of joss sticks and paper money, food | | | | responsibility towards the mother and other ancestors |
| offerings, and opera shows for the deceased. | | | | in general. |
| | | | | Copyright @ Read more about the |
| The festival is also influenced by Buddhist teachings | | | | Hungry Ghost Festival or other Chinese culture at |
| introduced into China. In the Buddhist’s Ullambana | | | | eChina Expat Articles. |
| Sutra, Mahamaudgalyayana, one of the chief disciples | | | | |