According to Chinese legend, hungry and restless ghosts roam
the world to visit their living descendants.
Traditional Chinese belief has the seventh month of the
lunar year reserved for the Hungry Ghost festival (Yu Lan). For 2019, that's
August 15th. This is a boisterous celebration of feasts and music. According to
Chinese folklore, the ghosts who wander the physical world are ravenous and
envious after dying without descendants or because they are not honored by
relatives who are still alive.
Because the hungry spirits need to be appeased, prayers and
incense are offered to deceased relatives. Fake currency, known as hell money, along with paper copies of
material wealth are burned. The ghosts then use them when they return to the
underworld.
Neighborhoods hold nightly shows of Chinese operas and pop
concerts. The front row of seats remain empty because they are reserved for the
ghosts. These shows are accompanied by extravagant feasts. On the 15th day of
the lunar month, families offer cooked food to the ghosts with the hope that
the spirits will help them find good jobs, get good grades, or even win the lottery.
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