Ghost Festival

Joss paper offerings, incense, and candles are burned at night during the Ghost Festival

(Image: Photo by Charmaine Wong)

The Ghost Festival (鬼節 Guijie) is observed during the 7th Chinese lunar month. To be accurate, the entire 7th month is known as Ghost Month (鬼月 Guiyue), with activities and rituals culminating on the 15th day of the 7th month – the day of the full moon – considered the actual day of the Ghost Festival (some regions of China reckon the 13th or 14th to be the main day). Alternate names for the festival are the Seventh Month Festival (七月節 Qiyue Jie), and the Mid Seventh Month (七月半 Qiyue Ban) because it falls exactly on the middle of the 7th lunar month. The ideas in the observance of the Ghost Festival are actually an amalgamation of concepts and beliefs from Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and popular folk religion.

Popular Folk Religion (Popular Culture)

In popular folk religion, it is believed that once per year, the realms of heaven, earth, and the underworld are opened for one month beginning on the first day of the 7th lunar month. As part of this process, the Ghost Gate Pass (鬼門關 Guimen Guan) in the underworld is also opened and the spirits of the dead are free to wander for a month in the world of the living. On the last day of the month, the spirits must all return and the gate is closed again.

Due to the fact that the Ghost Festival is a mixture of ideas and beliefs from different sources, it cannot be said with absolute certainty what the “underworld” exactly refers to. According to different sources and in varying contexts, the underworld can refer to the ghost realm, hell realms, realms of purgatory, or simply the netherworld (a land of shades where the dead exist in a world that is parallel to the world of the living). Technically speaking, these different spheres of existence can be distinguished from one another and are not the same. But whatever the case may be, it is believed that the spirits are from some lower realm and the ambivalent nature of their origin does not seem to bother those who observe the Ghost Festival.

During this one month holiday and temporary amnesty for ghosts, many people will make ritual offerings to these spirits of the dead as an act of charity and also to satisfy their material desires so that they do not create trouble and wreak havoc in the mortal realm. It is believed that the dead who do not have descendents to care for them (i.e. to provide them with offerings and spiritual sustenance in the afterlife) and those that have died from premature and unnatural causes (i.e. suicides, accidents, murders, violent deaths, deaths due to unjust and wrongful causes, etc.) are particularly prone to become volatile spirits that can cause trouble for the living. Appeasement of the spirits during Ghost Month is important so that things can go smoothly and successfully in the world of the living. Ritual offerings for the spirits include incense, food, drink, entertainment, and burnt joss paper offerings like spirit money, paper mantras for accumulating spiritual merit, and paper replicas of material goods and consumer products.

Ghost money to be burnt for the dead

(Image: Scanned by Harry Leong)

Paper mantras to be burnt for the dead to help them accumulate spiritual merit

(Image: Scanned by Harry Leong)

Paper replicas of material goods to be delivered to the spirit world by consignment to the flames

(Image: Geekv5.com)

Those who observe Ghost Month also take the opportunity to make ritual offerings and sponsor deliverance ceremonies for their deceased ancestors in case they are also in need of spiritual sustenance and karmic merit. However, unlike the Qingming and Chongyang festvals where the focus is on practicing ancestor veneration, filial piety, and the spiritual salvation of ancestors, the focus of Ghost Month is more about spiritual charity, appeasement, and salvation for ghosts and wandering spirits that are not our relatives.

During Ghost Month, temples, both Buddhist and Taoist, are busily engaged in performing spiritual deliverance rituals call universal salvation rites (普渡法會 pudu fahui) for both ancestors and spirits in general so that they may attain liberation from the realms of suffering. In many places in Asia where the Chinese still practice their traditions, the ubiquitous signs of Ghost Month are roadside table altars set up with ritual offerings and the outdoor bonfires produced from burning paper offerings. They are always held outdoors because the offerings are mainly meant for wayward spirits. These ritual setups and activities can range from small and simple to large and elaborate. They can be carried out independently by family households and business establishments, or collectively by organized groups and associations. Public performances of traditional Chinese opera and puppet shows, and contemporary getai (歌台 song stage) shows are arranged by local organizers to appease the spirits and for communal entertainment of the living as well. Oftentimes, the seats in the front row(s) at these venues are left empty because some seats must be reserved for the spirits, or, as it is claimed, the show never proceeds smoothly. Another traditional practice during Ghost Month is to light candles installed in paper lanterns and paper boats and releasing them into bodies of water at night to symbolize giving direction and guidance to lost wayward spirits.
 

Outdoor tables filled with offerings for spirits during Ghost Month

(Image: Source unknown)

A feast offering placed on the side of a road to appease wayward spirits

(Image: Source unknown)

Paper joss offerings burnt for the benefit of wayward spirits

(Image: Source unknown)

Paper joss offerings burnt for the benefit of wayward spirits on a Hong Kong street

(Image: Apple Daily 蘋果日報)

Releasing water lanterns at night to guide lost spirits

(Image: Matahu.gov.cn)

Lanterns shaped like lotus flowers are floated on waterways to symbolize giving direction to lost spirits

(Image: Matahu.gov.cn)

A traditional opera performance in Hong Kong for the entertainment of spirits

and members of the local community during the Ghost Festival

(Image: Wikimedia Commons)

A row of empty chairs reserved for the seating of wayward spirits

at a Ghost Festival entertainment show in Singapore.

In this photo, a stack of joss paper offerings is placed on each chair and

the remnant of a burnt incense stick can be seen on top of each stack.

(Image: Yesterday.sg)

Precautions for Ghost Month

Caution should always be exercised during Ghost Month

(Image: Source unknown)

Caution should always be observed during Ghost Month. Because it is believed that the spirit population in the mortal realm is much greater at this time than at other times of the year, the chances for the occurrence of accidents and misfortune are also much greater. Therefore, people generally try to minimize activities that can expose them to danger and unintended encounters with spirits. There are many taboos and things to be mindful of during Ghost Month. There are several different lists of these taboos, but the list that follows below is my own attempt at an exhaustive one. Please keep in mind that some of these admonitions may sound silly, and skeptics will most certainly scoff at them, but it is always wise to keep an open mind. I have included only the ones that I personally believe to make sense from a theoretical perspective, but I make no pronouncements in regards to their veracity.

Rules for avoiding spirit encounters and personal dangers specific to Ghost Month:

1. Do not utter the word “ghost” (鬼 gui). Respect for the spirits must always be observed so that they are not offended. One should not use the word “ghost” to refer to them because it is disrespectful. Instead, the terms “good brethren” (好兄弟 hao xiongdi) or “good friends” (好朋友 hao pengyou) are used.

2. Do not conduct rites, give ritual offerings, or burn joss paper for the spirits inside of your own home. Unless these rites are performed by a temple, they are always done outdoors because the offerings are mainly intended for wayward spirits. To hold these rites at home would be equivalent to inviting the spirits into your own home.

3. Do not mention your name if you decide to conduct ritual offerings for spirits during Ghost Month. Unlike when one offers supplications to higher deities, it is not necessary to cite your name to disclose your identity. The point is to not let random and wayward spirits know too much about yourself.

4. Do not accidentally step on or disturb the ritual offerings left out for the spirits. Avoid stepping on the ashes of burnt paper offerings. Even humans become annoyed and/or angry if someone interrupts their meal or interferes with their picking up of goods.

5. Do not pick up any coins that you may find on the roads during Ghost Month. Sometimes, coins are scattered on the ground as part of certain spirit appeasement rituals. It’s probably not a good idea to bring these types of coins home.

6. Do not partake of any of the food offerings that were offered to spirits. It is believed that spirits actually feed on the smell of food and that they inhale its essence. In the process, the food becomes contaminated with their yin (negative) energies. It is said that foods offered to the spirits go bad very quickly (or faster than normal). If humans eat the offered foods afterwards, they can get sick (usually stomach trouble and diarrhea).

7. Do not make negative remarks or complaints about the smell of incense or burning joss papers. This may cause the spirits to be unhappy, and they may have something to say about it to you.

8. Do not go out at night if you can help it. It is believed that spirit activity is stronger at night, after sundown, because yin (negative) energy is more predominant during the evening hours.

9. Do not call out other people’s names at night. This is to prevent spirits from knowing the names of others and playing tricks on them.

10. Do not wear clothing or carry personal items that have your name on them. This is to prevent spirits from knowing your name and playing tricks on you.

11. Do not turn around and respond if you hear an unfamiliar voice call you from behind, especially if the voice calls out your full name. It is believed that some spirits like to play tricks. This is especially true at night time.

12. Do not go swimming during Ghost Month. Swimming at night is especially dangerous. It is believed that water spirits (水鬼 shui gui) will look for victims to drown. Water spirits are themselves former victims of drowning, and it is believed that they are trapped in the water where they had drowned until they are able to “find/snatch a replacement/substitute” (找替身 zhao tishen; 抓交替 zhua jiaoti). A “replacement” or “substitute” refers to another victim to replace the one that had already died. This situation often becomes a vicious and endless cycle, with each unfortunate victim looking for the next potential victim so that the present victim/spirit can become free.

13. Do not engage in unnecessary travel. Driving, flying, and travel in general are avoided for fear of spirits causing accidents to occur.

14. Do not move into a new home during Ghost Month. It is believed that the heightened level of spirit activity during this time makes it inauspicious to do so. If one really has to move house, do it early during daylight hours and never at night. This is to prevent random spirits from following you into your new home.

15. Do not perform home renovations during Ghost Month. It is believed that the heightened level of spirit activity during this time makes it inauspicious to do so.

16. Do not start a new business venture or close a business deal during Ghost Month. It is believed that the heightened level of spirit activity during this time makes it inauspicious to do so.

17. Do not buy real estate during Ghost Month. It is believed that the heightened level of spirit activity during this time makes it inauspicious to do so.

18. Do not have medical procedures performed during Ghost Month (unless they are really emergencies). It is believed that the heightened level of spirit activity during this time makes it inauspicious to do so.

19. Do not get married during Ghost Month. It is believed that the heightened level of spirit activity during this time makes it inauspicious to do so. Also, spirits who may witness your wedding might experience feelings of envy or jealousy (if they had died without getting married) and might make trouble for you.

20. Do not engage in romantic or intimate activities with your spouse or significant other during Ghost Month. Spirits who may be watching you might experience feelings of envy or jealousy (if they had died without also having a romantic relationship) and might make trouble for you. Or, your conduct with your significant other may also stir up feelings of interest and/or lust in any spirits that may be watching, and they might cause problems for you.

21. Do not hang out your clothes to dry at night. Retrieve them before sundown. It is feared that spirits may attach themselves to the clothes.

22. Do not comb your hair in front of a mirror at night. Spirits who see you engaging in acts of vanity may feel envy or jealousy, or they may take a liking to you, and cause trouble for you.

23. Do not look into mirrors, bodies of water, or reflective surfaces at night to avoid accidentally seeing the images and/or manifestations of spirits.

24. Do not swat or kill insects, especially at night. It is believed that spirits like to possess the bodies of insects if they are looking for a temporary corporeal body to inhabit. It is easy for spirits to enter the bodies of insects because they are lower life forms and are relatively short-lived.

25. Do not hold celebrations or parties at night during Ghost Month (unless it is organized specifically for the appeasement of spirits). Some sources even say that it is not advisable to hold celebrations after 3:00pm because the shen period (申時) (3:00pm to 5:00pm) is considered the time when day (yang) starts to gradually change into night (yin). As the yang (positive) energy wanes and the yin (negative) energy grows, the spirits start to become more active. Spirits are really no different from humans. They also love a good party (the early 3:00pm cutoff time is probably just a very conservative and extra-cautious rule-of-thumb).

Rules that are general precautions for avoiding spirit encounter (and thus are also applicable to Ghost Month): 

26. Do not loiter in dark places at night. This one is common sense because it is not advisable to loiter in dark places at any time of the year, regardless if there are spirits or not.

27. Do not walk alongside or close to walls. Do not lean or stand against walls. Do not stand or loiter in or near corners. It is believed that spirits tend to move alongside walls and they like to congregate in corners where two walls meet. To avoid accidentally bumping into them, always walk in the middle of a path away from walls. This is especially true at night time.

28. If you happen to smell a floral or perfume scent of unknown origin while walking at night, do not bother to investigate its source, because spirits can manifest strange smells and scents to draw the attention of potential victims.

29. Do not loiter under, or climb trees at night, especially ones that are large and old. It is believed that spirits like to stay near and/or live in trees. Trees that are advanced in years are also believed to house resident spirit entities.

30. Do not shine a flashlight/torch onto the top of trees at night. The reason is the same as for the previous rule. It is believed that shining lights onto trees might bother the spirit(s) in the tree.

31. Do not wear dark color clothing at night. It is believed that dark color clothing might mask the yang (positive) energy of a human being’s aura field that normally can keep spirits away. The best color to wear to keep spirits away is yellow. Yellow is symbolic of strong golden yang energy, like the sun. Some experts also believe that red is a good color to wear, because red is symbolic of strong fire energy which is also very yang. However, there is disagreement about red, because there are others who believe that red attracts spirits instead of repelling them. There are also differing opinions about other colors as well.

32. Do not cover your forehead, especially at night. Do not wear a hat, or style your hair so that your forehead is blocked. In Chinese metaphysics, it is believed that a person has three areas in his aura field that radiates strong yang (positive) energy. This belief is reflected in the old saying A person has three fires (人有三把火 ren you san ba huo). The “three fires” refer to the yang energy concentrations on both shoulders and the forehead which normally can keep spirits away. If these fires are blocked or disturbed, the aura field is weakened and spirits might be able to come near you.

33. Do not pat or touch another person’s shoulders, or allow others to do the same to your shoulders. The reason is the same as for the previous rule. This is especially true at night time.

34. Do not drink alcohol in excess. It is believed that drinking too much alcohol can lower a person’s yang (positive) energy. Alcohol also muddles the mind, which in turn weakens one’s natural defenses against disturbance from spirits.

35. Do not walk in the forest, especially at night. Spirits can play tricks on humans and cause them to become lost through a phenomenon call ghost covering eyes (鬼掩眼 gui yan yan). They can “cover” your eyes and lead you to hallucinate and believe that you are walking straight while in fact you are walking in circles, or, that you are walking on paths that do not actually exist.

36. Do not urinate outside in public places, especially near trees, bushes, or walls (these are the normal places where people go to urinate when outdoors). If you really must do it, you should say aloud “Please excuse me” so that any spirits nearby will hear you and hopefully move away. There are countless stories of people inadvertently urinating on spirits, offending them, and then falling ill.

37. Do not open umbrellas inside your home. Also do not pick up other people’s lost umbrellas and bring them home. This rule may sound silly, but it is believed that umbrellas are a favorite hiding place for spirits. Umbrellas are also used by ghost catchers to temporarily hold a spirit. Therefore, open your umbrella outside your home, not inside.

38. Do not place your bedroom slippers so that the front end (toe area) of both slippers faces your bed when you take them off to go to bed at night. It is believed that this can invite a spirit to climb onto your bed. Instead, arrange your slippers so that one faces forward and one faces backward, in other words, they should face in opposite directions.

Rules that involve rituals, activities, and actions that can beckon spirits (so it goes without saying that these should never be performed especially during Ghost Month):

39. Do not play with the Ouija board, or “dish spirit” (碟仙 die xian) (the Chinese version of a spirit board) including any of its variants that are used for communicating with the spirit world. At best, nothing happens. But at worst, it becomes a recipe for trouble. In almost all cases involving successful contact, it is a random spirit that is communicating with the participants. Also remember that spirits can lie when responding to questions.

40. Do not whistle or ring bells at night. It is believed that these noises can attract the attention of spirits (these sounds naturally attract the attention of humans and animals too, and spirits are really no different in mentality from humans).

41. Do not hang wind chimes outside the home. The reason is the same as for the previous rule. Some sources also say that it is not a good idea to hang wind chimes inside the home as well, but opinions differ on this.

42. Do not engage in the ritual of paring an apple with a knife in front of a burning candle and mirror at night. According to folklore, it is said that if you fail to pare the apple's skin in one long continuous peel, a spirit or demon will appear to you.

43. Do not stick and leave chopsticks standing vertically in a bowl of rice. It is said that this resembles two incense sticks offered in an incense urn and is an invitation for spirits to partake of a meal offering.

44. Do not play by striking a bowl with chopsticks. It is said that the sound acts as an invitation for spirits to partake of a meal offering. This is similar to sounding the metal triangle dinner bell in the cowboy days to call everyone in for chow time.  

[The above list was compiled & edited by Harry Leong at Jadeturtlerecords.blogspot.com]

Note that much of the aforementioned advice has been passed down through tradition and that they can also be applicable at other times as well in places where spirit activity is suspected. Of course, some of the advice can certainly be taken with a grain of salt, and it is not necessary to become too paranoid. Also, these rules are not an absolute guarantee against spirit encounter, but they can help to lower the chances of running into problems. The best protection during Ghost Month is ultimately using common sense and wisdom, and maintaining an upright and virtuous frame of mind.

The Mahayana Buddhist Tradition

In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, there are two events that happen to coincide with the Ghost Festival and some of its ideas have been absorbed into the Ghost Festival of popular culture. They are The Day of the Buddha’s Joy (佛歡喜日 Fo Huanxi Re) and the Ullambana Festival (盂蘭盆節 Yulanpen Jie, or 盂蘭節 Yulan Jie).

The Day of the Buddha’s Joy



The serene smile of the Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong

(Image: Source unknown)

During the Buddha’s time in ancient India, the monastic community of monks observed an annual retreat lasting for three months during the summer monsoon season. This retreat was called Vassa meaning rain and is known as the Rains Retreat. In China, the retreat was translated as Settling Down During the Rains (雨安居 Yu Anju) and Settling Down and Bearing Results During the Summer (結夏安居 Jiexia Anju). Because it was not convenient for the itinerant monks of ancient India to travel during the rainy period, they all settled down in one place and entered a period dedicated to intensive meditation practice. On the last day of the rains retreat (which is said to have coincided with the 15th day of the 7th Chinese lunar month), the monks ended their intense practice and observed Pravarana (僧自恣日 Seng Zizi Re), a ceremony to mark the end of the rains retreat and to confess any breaches of discipline or acts of interpersonal conflict. On this day, after such a lengthy period of dedicated practice, many monks made great progress and attained advanced levels of meditative achievement. The Buddha felt very happy for his disciples, and the day was later called The Day of the Buddha’s Joy.

The Ullambana Festival (Yulanpen Festival)

Many uninformed people equate the Ghost Festival with the Buddhist Ullambana (Yulanpen) Festival, but they are technically two different festivals, albeit they have become merged in popular culture. Ullambana is an Indian Sanskrit word. Ullam is interpreted to mean hanging upside down and is a metaphoric reference to suffering, while bana refers to a tool that is used for alleviating suffering and specifically refers to a bowl or basin that is used for offering food to Buddhist monks. Ullam was phonetically transliterated into Chinese as Yulan (盂蘭), and the meaning of bana was translated as pen (盆) which means basin. So the Ullambana Festival was translated into Chinese as Yulanpen Festival, and later shortened to just Yulan Festival.

Ullambana (Yulanpen) is a reference to the belief that making offerings of food to a monastic community of virtuous monks can produce enough karmic merit to help end the suffering of deceased parents and relatives. In the Chinese Buddhist tradition, followers always make offerings to the sangha (monastic community) during the seventh Chinese lunar month as an act of merit making. This practice comes from the Mahayana Buddhist scripture called The Ullambana Sutra Spoken by the Buddha (佛說盂蘭盆經 Foshuo Yulanpen Jing) which tells the story of how Maudgalyayana (目蓮 Mulian) saved his mother who was reborn in the realm of the hungry ghosts.

Maudgalyayana visits the realm of the hungry ghosts

(Image: Drawing by Lai Lixun 賴立勳老師手繪 Librarywork.taiwanschoolnet.org)

Maudgalyayana was one of ten chief disciples of the Buddha. He was known as the one foremost in transcendental powers (also known as spiritual penetrations), which meant that aside from the Buddha himself, he was the one who possessed the highest level of supernatural abilities. Among these abilities, he had the power to see into other realms, and he thought of searching for the whereabouts of his deceased parents. With his divine vision, he scanned all the worlds in the vast universe, both corporeal and spiritual, and discovered that his deceased mother had been reborn in the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts (Sanskrit: preta-loka; Chinese: 餓鬼道 e’gui dao), one of the six realms of existence for unenlightened beings in the endless cycle of transmigration. Pretas, or hungry ghosts, are beings that suffer greatly from hunger and thirst and are unable to eat or drink even if offered food. Their bodies are only skin and bones, but they have large distended bellies which cause constant hunger, and throats that are thin as a needle so that they are unable to swallow food. In addition, any food or drink that they attempt to ingest is transformed into burning coal or molten iron anyway. This pitiful state of existence is karmic retribution for having been an immensely greedy person while a human being. While still alive, Maudgalyayana’s father left a sum of money to the mother and instructed her to use it to feed Buddhist monks. The mother, however, was extremely greedy and did not use any of the money in such a charitable manner. She even unjustly slandered the monastic community of monks. After she died, her heavy negative karma caused her to be reborn as a hungry ghost to suffer the torments of hunger and thirst. Of course, when her son Maudgalyayana learned of her circumstances, he was grief stricken. He attempted to send her food with his supernatural powers, but when his mother put the food in her mouth, it turned into flaming coals and burned her severely. Maudgalyayana was heartbroken and realized that not even his own supernatural powers could alter his mother’s terrible karma. He went to the Buddha for advice, and the Buddha told him that only the collective power of the entire community of virtuous monks could rescue his mother. The Buddha instructed him to make food offerings to the entire assembly of monks on Pravarana, the last day of the rains retreat, which falls on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. After Maudgalyayana made the offerings as instructed, the tremendous karmic merit and virtue from that act was dedicated to his mother, and his mother was immediately released from the hungry ghost realm.

Food which Maudgalyayana gives to his mother burns her mouth because

hungry ghosts can never successfully eat food due to their karma

(Image: Source unknown)

An excerpt from the Ullambana Sutra reads:

The fifteenth day of the seventh month is the Pravarana day for the assembled Sangha of the ten directions. For the sake of fathers and mothers of seven generations past, as well as for fathers and mothers of the present who are in distress, you should prepare an offering of clean basins full of hundreds of flavors and the five fruits, and other offerings of incense, oil, lamps, candles, beds, and bedding, all the best of the world, to the greatly virtuous assembled Sangha of the ten directions…If one thus makes offerings to these Pravarana Sangha, one's present father and mother, parents of seven generations, as well as the six kinds of close relatives, will escape from the three paths of sufferings. And at that time attain release. (Translation by City of Ten Thousand Buddhas/Buddhist Text Translation Society)

The main theme of the Ullambana Sutra is the observance of filial piety, in other words, showing love, concern, and respect for one’s parents and ancestors. Filial piety is such an important virtue in Confucian teachings that Chinese society considers it the prime virtue above all others. In this case, the theme of filial piety in the Buddhist Ullambana Sutra was a perfect fit with the Chinese/Confucian mentality. The story of Maudgalyayana, even though it originated in a canonical Mahayana Buddhist source, became the prototype for other similar non-canonical texts and popular tales in China. These popular tales, which are slightly revised and altered versions of the original story of Maudgalyayana, are called Maudgalyayana (Mulian) Saves his Mother (目蓮救母 Mulian Jiumu) and featured in traditional opera and other forms of story-telling in traditional Chinese culture. The character of Maudgalyayana (Mulian) then became one of the central figures in the culture of the Chinese Ghost Festival.

It is important to note that for followers of the Buddhist tradition, the seventh lunar month is not a time to fear ghosts and spirits, but a time to practice filial piety by honoring and bringing spiritual salvation to deceased family members. The theme of filial respect from the Buddhist Ullambana Festival was absorbed into the Ghost Festival of popular culture, and activities for ancestor veneration and philanthropy for the elderly have also become important elements in the festival. 

The Taoist Tradition   

In the Taoist tradition, the Zhongyuan Festival (中元節 Zhongyuan Jie) coincides with the Ghost Festival and its ideas have similarly been absorbed into the Ghost Festival of popular culture. The 15th of the lunar 7th month is connected to a Taoist deity called the Great Emperor Earth Official (地官大帝 Diguan Dadi) because the day is considered to be his birthday.

The Great Emperor Earth Official

(Image: Nipic.com)

His full title is The Great Emperor Earth Official of Pristine Emptiness of the Middle Primordial & Secondary Grade Who Pardons Sins (中元二品赦罪地官清虛大帝 Zhongyuan Erpin Shezui Diguan Qingxu Dadi) and that’s why the day is known as the Zhongyuan (Middle Primordial) Festival. This deity is part of a Taoist trinity called the Three Great Emperor Officials (三官大帝 Sanguan Dadi) which includes the Heaven Official (天官 Tianguan) (also mentioned here), Earth Official (地官 Diguan), and Water Official (水官 Shuiguan) (also mentioned here). It is believed that on this day, the Earth Official descends to the earthly realm to inspect and assess the sins of mortals and to pardon them if he sees it is fit to do so. On this day, Taoist followers hold ceremonies in honor of the Great Emperor Earth Official. In addition, because it is believed that ancestors and spirits from other realms visit the world of the living during this time, sacrificial rites and deliverance rituals are also performed to offer them food and drink and to help absolve their sins. 


Popular Significance of the Ghost Festival

The Keelung (Jilong) Mid-Summer Ghost Festival, held annually in Keelung, Taiwan,

is one of the most lavish events of its kind in Asia. It is also one of the oldest, dating back to 1851.

(Image: 2011klgf.url.tw)

For followers of popular religious culture, the ideas of Buddhism and Taoism are freely mixed and the religiously-specific terms Ullambana (Yulan) Festival and Zhongyuan Festival are used more or less interchangeably and as synonyms for the Ghost Festival. Because the technical aspects of Buddhism, Taoism, and popular religion are not distinguished in the minds of general believers and non-specialists, the Ghost Festival has developed into an event rich and varied in religious, cultural, and social significances. Apart from the festival’s religious aspects, charitable activities for social welfare have also become a customary practice of the festival. Just as the festival was originally meant for practicing charity for the spirit world, it has also become an extension for practicing charity for the living as well. For example, in Hong Kong, rice distribution (派米 pai mi) activities are organized concurrently with religious ceremonies to distribute free bags of “blessed rice for safety” (平安米 ping’an mi) to the elderly. In Southeast Asia, profits from the sale of blessed food staples and the auctioning of auspicious prizes and items are all donated to charitable and welfare organizations. The themes of practicing filial respect for departed ancestors, spiritual charity for random and wayward spirits, philanthropy and charity for the living, and communal harmony and peace have all become important aspects of the Ghost Festival.

Text © 2011 Harry Leong

Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival)

A graphic art piece for the celebration of the Duanwu Festival

(Image: Source unknown)

The Duanwu Festival (端午節 Duanwu Jie) is observed on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This festival is also popularly known in the West as the Dragon Boat Festival, and to a lesser extant, the Dumpling Festival, because the racing of boats shaped like dragons and the consumption of rice dumplings are the two primary elements that characterize this festival. The festival is also sometimes called the Double Fifth Festival (重五節 Chongwu Jie) because of the lunar date on which it is held (i.e. 5/5). It can also be called the Festival of Extreme Yang (端陽節 Duanyang Jie) because according to Chinese metaphysics, this day happens to embody the strongest Yang energy out of the entire year. Other additional names for this festival also include Festival of the Fifth Month (五月節 Wuyue Jie), Festival of the Fifth Day (五日節 Wuri Jie), and Festival of Summer (夏節 Xia Jie).

There are several theories offered for the origin of this festival, but the most popular one concerns the historical figure Qu Yuan (屈原) (c. 340 BCE – 278 BCE) who was a patriotic scholar and loyal minister in the state of Chu (楚國) during the Warring States period.

Qu Yuan – the patriotic scholar, poet, and minister of the state of Chu

(Image: Dashuhua.com)

Qu Yuan favored a policy of diplomatic cooperation with the other kingdoms of the period as a way to resist the aggression of the state of Qin (秦國) that threatened to conquer them all (the Qin eventually unified all of China and later established the Qin dynasty). He was unsuccessful in getting his king to adopt his policies, and he was slandered and banished to exile after other corrupt ministers convinced the king to believe in their false accusations of him. In 278 BCE, when Qu Yuan heard that Qin forces had invaded Ying (郢), the capital of Chu, he wrote the poem Lament for Ying (哀郢 Ai Ying) in anguish before drowning himself in the Miluo River (汨羅江 Miluo Jiang) (located in present-day Hunan province).

An ink painting depicting Qu Yuan with writing brush and chain.

After writing the poem Lament for Ying, he chained himself to a rock and drowned himself in the Miluo River.

(Image: Webacg.com)

His ritual suicide was done to protest the corruption that led to the fall of his home state. According to legend, villagers raced their boats on the river to search for his body, or they paddled their boats while beating drums to scare away fish and/or evil spirits so that they would not disturb his body. They also threw packets of rice into the river which was either meant for feeding the fish so that they would not eat his body, or as an offering to Qu Yuan’s spirit. Another legend also says that Qu Yuan appeared in the dreams of his friends and told them that he had committed suicide by drowning and that they should throw rice wrapped in silk into the river to pacify the river’s dragon. These are the legends that gave rise to the traditional customs of racing dragon boats (龍舟 longzhou) and eating rice dumplings (粽子 zongzi) on Qu Yuan’s death anniversary that is observed every year on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.

Dragon boat racing has nowadays developed into an international sporting event

(Image: Nipic.com)

Rice dumplings are wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are usually shaped like a

tetrahedron in south China, while they tend to be more cylindrically shaped in the north

(Image: Nipic.com)

The legend of Qu Yuan is the most popular story cited as the origin of the Duan Wu Festival, but there are also other alternate stories as well involving other historical figures. One alternate story involves Wu Zixu (伍子胥) (526 BCE? to 484 BCE) of the Spring & Autumn period who was a scholar, loyalist, and military general of the state of Wu (吳國). His advice to avert invasion by a neighboring state was ignored by his king and he was forced to commit suicide with a sword. He told his king to remove his eyeballs after his suicide and hang them up on the city gates so that he can witness the incursion. His body was thrown into a river after his death but he was later posthumously deified as a river deity called the God of Waves (濤神 Taoshen).

A drawing of Wu Zixu

(Image: Source unknown)

Another alternate story involves the filial daughter Cao E (曹娥) (130 CE to 143 CE) of the Han dynasty who drowned looking for her father, Cao Xu (曹盱), a shaman who fell into the river while performing religious rites for the river deity - the former Wu Zixu.

A painting depicting Cao E searching for her father’s body in the river

(Image: Drawing by Li Jieqi 李潔琦)

There are also other theories that say the Duanwu Festival was originally an agrarian festival for celebrating the harvest of winter wheat, or a religious festival for practicing dragon worship or averting disease. Other lesser known traditional activities during the Duanwu Festival are displaying pictures of Zhong Kui (鍾馗) (the Taoist deity who catches ghosts and evil spirits), drinking realgar wine (雄黃酒 xionghuang jiu), taking long walks, wearing scented herbal sachets (香包 xiangbao), and hanging up calamus/sweet flag (菖蒲 changpu) and Chinese mugwort (艾草 aicao) (because aromatic plants were used to ward off insects that proliferated as the weather became warm in the fifth lunar month). All these practices have the common theme of expelling negative forces and maintaining good health.

A graphic art piece for the celebration of the Duanwu Festival

(Image: Source unknown)

Happy Duanwu Festival!

Text © 2011 Harry Leong

Patriarch Lu Dongbin (Lu Chunyang)

Patriarch Lu Dongbin aka Lu Chunyang

(Image: Nipic.com)

According to the Taoist tradition, the Birthday of Patriarch Lu Chunyang (呂純陽祖師聖誕 Lu Chunyang Zushi Shengdan) is observed on the 14th day of the 4th Chinese lunar month. Lu Chunyang (呂純陽), whose name means Lu of Pure Yang, is better known by his popular name Lu Dongbin (呂洞賓). He is a well known character in secular Chinese culture and is one of the famous Eight Immortals (八仙 Baxian), a group of Taoist transcendents known to possess magical powers for miracle working and banishing malevolent influences.

Lu Dongbin is also called The Son of Pure Yang (純陽子 Chungyang Zi) but he is popularly known as simply Patriarch Lu (呂祖 Lu Zu). He personally called himself The One Who Returns to the Tao (回道人 Huidao Ren), but he possesses various honorific titles that were bestowed upon him by different emperors throughout history including Perfected Man of Miraculous Supranormal Powers (妙通真人 Miaotong Zhenren), Perfected Lord Pure Yang Who Teaches Orthodoxy and Exhorts to Deliverance (純陽演正警化真君 Chunyang Yanzheng Jinghua Zhenjun), and Imperial Lord Pure Yang Who Teaches Deliverance and Inspires Trust in his Protection (純陽演化孚佑帝君 Chunyang Yanhua Fuyou Dijun). In the Complete Reality (全眞 Quanzhen) school of Taoism, Lu Dongbin is considered one of the Five Northern Patriarchs (北五祖 Bei Wuzu).

Lu Dongbin is always depicted as a gentlemanly scholar with a long wispy beard. He carries a sword on his back which he uses to banish evil forces. He was renown as a slayer of demons and monsters, and his sword when thrown can transform into a dragon. He also carries either a gourd, which symbolizes health and longevity because it contains the elixir of immortality, or a fly whisk which represents the sweeping away of ignorance and negative mental defilements. As a Taoist transcendent, he of course has mastery over the powers of transformations and miracles. He was also known for always wanting to help others acquire wisdom and achieve spiritual enlightenment.

Lu Dongbin carries a demon slaying sword and a fly whisk used for sweeping away ignorance

(Image: Source unknown)

Born on the 14th day of the 4th lunar month in the year 798 CE during the Tang dynasty, his secular name was Lu Yan (呂巖). He aspired to become a government official, but he repeatedly failed the imperial civil service examinations. Once while staying at an inn, he met his future Taoist master, Han Zhongli (漢鐘離), also one of the famed Eight Immortals. He was finally awakened to follow the path of Taoist cultivation after he experienced the Yellow Millet Dream (黃粱夢 Huangliang Meng). While waiting in the inn for his millet to cook, he fell asleep. He dreamt that he succeeded in passing the civil service examinations with flying colors and was given a distinguished position in the government. He then married the lovely daughter of a wealthy family and had two beautiful children with her. He continued to succeed at his job and won many more promotions. He was very happy, but he attracted the jealousy and contempt of some of his peers. He was then set up and accused of deeds that he did not commit. He finally lost his job and all his wealth. His wife left him and his children were killed by criminals. He ended up an impoverished man dying in the street. Right before he died, he woke up to find that his millet was ready to eat. The events in his dream spanned almost 20 years, but the dream itself happened in the duration of time that it took for his millet to finish cooking. The dream was actually manifested by Han Zhongli to teach him that worldly success and happiness are only impermanent and that they should not become an obstacle to his spiritual advancement. Lu Dongbin then gave up the idea of becoming a government bureaucrat and followed Han Zhongli to practice spiritual cultivation. Later, he attained the Way (i.e. achieved Taoist transcendence) and like the stories of many other Taoist immortals, he “ascended skyward to heaven in broad daylight.”

A wood block print of Lu Dongbin

(Image: Source unknown)

There are many stories and legends about Lu Dongbin, but according to records, he is known for the following ideas and achievements: He reformed the dangerous practice of external Taoist alchemy (i.e. seeking immortality by ingesting herbs, minerals, and elixirs refined from external substances and elements like gold, silver, and mercury) to the practice of internal Taoist alchemy (內丹術 Neidan Shu) which is instead a system of meditative techniques to cultivate the body’s inner energies to promote longevity and health; He advocated the integration of both Taoist and Buddhist practice; He advocated the integration of both nourishing the body and cultivating the mind (spirit); He was the founder of the Eight Immortals Swordplay style (八仙劍法 Baxian Jianfa) which is a martial arts treasure of Wudang Mountain.

A wood block diagram from the treatise Secret of the Golden Flower authored by Lu Dongbin’s student,

Wang Chongyang, depicting the birth of the “immortal fetus” in the practice of internal alchemy

(Image: Secret of the Golden Flower 太乙金華宗旨)

There is also an interesting story from the Buddhist tradition called Lu Dongbin Unleashes his Sword to Cut Down Huanglong (呂洞賓飛劍斬黃龍 Lu Dongbin Feijian Zhan Huanglong). It was told by Zen Master Hsu Yun (虛雲 Xuyun), an enlightened master universally recognized by all Chinese Buddhists as being the greatest Zen monk of the 19th and 20th centuries. It was not uncommon for Taoists and Buddhists to run into one another in the vast religious landscape of ancient China, and this was one of those encounters. The legend is about how Zen Master Huanglong enlightened Lu Dongbin who, up until their meeting, still suffered from egoism even though he was already a Taoist transcendent. It is said that out of all the Eight Immortals, Lu Dongbin was one of the wildest ones. At one time, he was flying over a Zen monastery located on Lushan and showing off his powers. He observed a purple cloud over the monastery which indicated that something deeply sacred was occurring beneath it. Lu Dongbin wanted to see what was going on, so he transformed himself into a Buddhist monk and entered the main hall of the monastery. The abbot, Zen Master Huanglong, was about to deliver a teaching, but he stopped and said, “I will not give my discourse today because there is a Dharma thief in our assembly.” Lu Dongbin then changed back into his actual form and stepped forward. He arrogantly asked the master, “Please explain to me what is meant by the Buddhist saying ‘A grain of corn can contain the universe, and mountains and rivers can fit into a small cooking pot.’” Zen Master Huanglong laughed and called him a “corpse guarding demon” (i.e. one who is attached to his physical body which is actually something impermanent). Lu Dongbin did not understand that the actual nature of all phenomena is characterized by emptiness. He still held onto the erroneous view that the self was something real and permanent. Lu Dongbin told Huanglong, “My gourd is filled with the elixir of immortality.” Huanglong then said “Even if you are able to live for eighty thousand (i.e. countless) aeons, you still cannot avoid falling into the void!” This angered Lu Dongbin so he unleashed his magical sword and threw it at Huanglong. The Zen master merely pointed his finger at the sword and it dropped to the ground. Lu Dongbin attempted to retrieve his sword but it wouldn’t move. He was astonished that a Zen master could be so powerful. He dropped to his knees in respect and pleaded with Huanglong to enlighten him. Huanglong then explained that the mind that gives form to what it labels “a grain of corn” is the same mind that gives form to what it labels “the universe.” All things and concepts are actually mind-created. To attain true enlightenment, one must relinquish all mental fabrications which include concepts, judgments, differentiations, opinions, and ego. Lu Dongbin pondered on this profound teaching and became awakened. He was thereafter also made a Dharmapala (guardian of the Buddhist teachings).

Text © 2011 Harry Leong

Birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha (Vesak)

A statue depicting the Buddha immediately after his immaculate birth

(Image: Fanyun Enterprises Company Ltd)

According to the Chinese Buddhist tradition, the Birthday of Shakyamuni Buddha (釋迦牟尼佛聖誕 Shijia Mouni Fo Shengdan) is observed on the 8th day of the 4th Chinese lunar month. This holy day is formally known as the Vesak Festival (衛塞節 Weise Jie), and it is informally known simply as Buddha’s Birthday (佛誕 Fo Dan). It is also called the Bathing the Buddha Festival (浴佛節 Yufo Jie) because a common practice during this festival is to pour water on a statue of the baby Buddha to symbolize the cleansing of one’s body, speech, and mind.

A common ritual during Vesak is to pour water on a statue of the infant Buddha to symbolize

the cleansing of unwholesome karma arising from one’s body, speech, and mind

(Image: Huaxia.com)

The Vesak Festival is actually a commemoration day that encompasses the Buddha’s birth, attainment of Supreme Enlightenment, and death (i.e. Parinirvana), although the focus of the observance seems to be primarily on the Buddha’s birth. According to legend, the day that the Buddha was born, achieved Enlightenment, and passed away all occurred on the full moon day of Taurus (the month of May in common years, or June in leap years).

Scenes from the Buddha’s birth (left), Enlightenment (right), and Parinirvana (death) (center)

(Image: Source unknown)

The Buddha’s birth (left); Enlightenment (center); Parinirvana (death) (right)

(Image: Source unknown)

However, the Chinese Buddhist tradition has not one, but three very different days for observing these three important events. Thus, in Chinese Buddhism, the day of Vesak is celebrated only as the Buddha’s birthday. The Chinese day for observing the Buddha’s birthday does not even fall on a full moon day. It precedes the full moon by about 7 days. That is why the Chinese celebration of Vesak is always different from the day used by other Buddhist traditions in other countries. This difference is most probably due to variations of local calendrical recognition. For the year 2011, the Chinese Buddhist observance of Vesak falls on May 10, while many other Buddhist traditions observe it on May 17 (the day of the full moon).

Notwithstanding any inconsistency between the actual day and the observance day of the Buddha’s birth, Vesak is still the holiest time of the year for all Buddhist followers because it commemorates the appearance of the great teacher who showed humankind the path to complete unsurpassed awakening. The actual day of the Buddha’s birthday is not as important as honoring Lord Buddha and remembering to follow his teachings.

According to legend, the Buddha was immaculately born from his mother’s right side

(Image: Unknown source)

Just after the infant Buddha was born, he walked seven steps, pointed to heaven and earth,

and proclaimed that he was the foremost in the world and that it would be his last rebirth.

(Image: Source unknown)

According to canonical records, on the night of the Buddha’s conception, Queen Mayadevi, his future mother, dreamt of a white elephant entering her womb. She carried the baby Buddha for ten months and close to the time of childbirth, Queen Mayadevi stopped with her entourage at a beautiful grove in the Lumbini Garden (located in present day Nepal near its border with India). She bathed herself in a pond and then walked to a sala tree. Leaning her right hand on a tree branch to support herself while remaining standing, the baby Buddha was miraculously born from her right side. Upon his birth, the infant Buddha took seven steps under which lotus flowers sprang. Then, with one finger pointing up towards heaven and one finger pointing down towards the earth, he proclaimed with the voice of a lion’s roar: I am the highest in the universe. I am the best in the universe. I am the foremost in the universe. This is my last rebirth. I shall be born no more. A great immeasurable light then filled the entire universe and all its world systems trembled and quaked. According to popular biographies about the Buddha’s birth in East Asian Buddhism, the infant Buddha is also said to have proclaimed the famous statement: Above and below the heavens, I alone am the most honored (天上天下 唯我獨尊 Tianshang tianxia weiwo duzun).

The assistants of Queen Mayadevi shielded her body when she was about to give birth.

The infant Buddha was then born from her right side as she grabbed a tree branch for support

(Image: Source unknown)

During Vesak, activities include meditation, chanting sutras and mantras, observing precepts, listening to teachings given by Buddhist teachers, eating vegetarian food, animal release, giving to charity, and bathing the Buddha to symbolically cleanse oneself of negative karma.

Buddhist followers in China engage in Bathing the Buddha rites during the Vesak Festival

(Image: Xinhuanet.com)

Vesak is the formal term used most often today in the English speaking world and comes from Singhalese, the language of the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka. It is also usually the accepted term used in Singapore and Malaysia. But the festival is known by many other names in different countries including Wesak (variant of the Singhalese Vesak), Vesakha (Indian Pali), Vaisakha (Indian Sanskrit), Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima (modern name used in India and Nepal), Buddho Joyonti or Buddho Purnyima (Bangladesh), Visakha Puja or Visakha Bucha (Thailand), Visak Bochea (Cambodia), Vixakha Bouxa (Laos), Kasone la-pyae Boda nei (literally Full Moon Day of Kason) (Burma), Waisak (Indonesia), Saga Dawa or Saka Dawa (literally Month of Merits) (Tibet), and Buddha’s Birthday (China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Vietnam).

Homage to the Root Teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha (南無本師釋迦牟尼佛 Namo Benshi Shijia Mouni Fo).

Text © 2011 Harry Leong

Bodhisattva Manjushri (Wenshu)

Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom,
holding a ruyi scepter and riding on a green lion

(Image: Painting by Dharma Master Yilin 依林法師繪)

According to the Chinese Buddhist tradition, the Birthday of Bodhisattva Manjushri (文殊菩薩聖誕 Wenshu Pusa Shengdan) is observed on the 4th day of the 4th Chinese lunar month.  

Manjushri (文殊師利 Wenshu Shili, also abbreviated as 文殊 Wenshu) is the Bodhisattva of Transcendent Wisdom in Mahayana Buddhism. In Chinese Buddhist iconography, Manjushri is usually depicted as a male bodhisattva carrying either a ruyi scepter (most often seen) or vertical sword in one hand, and sometimes a scroll or text in the other hand. He is usually shown riding on a lion. The ruyi scepter is a symbol of auspiciousness and the obtaining of all of one's wishes, and the sword represents the power of transcendent wisdom to cut through ignorance and wrong views. The scroll or text represents the Prajna-paramita Sutra (般若波羅蜜多經 Bore Boluomiduo Jing) which is the Buddha’s exposition on transcendent wisdom gained through the realization of emptiness (shunyata). The lion that Manjushri sits on, if it is golden color, represents the noble majesty of transcendent wisdom. And if it is a green or blue lion, it is a symbol of the wild mind that is tamed by wisdom.

Manjushri sitting on a blue lion and holding a scroll representing the Prajna-paramita Sutra

(Image: Source unknown)

In Tibetan Buddhism, Manjushri is always depicted holding a flaming sword in his right hand and a lotus flower in his left hand that supports the Prajna-paramita text. The flaming sword is likewise symbolic of wisdom cutting through ignorance, while its flames represent the radiance of wisdom that lights up the darkness of ignorance.

Tibetan style Manjushri holding the flaming wisdom sword and Prajna-paramita text

(Image: Painting by Dharma Master Yilin 依林法師繪)

Bodhisattva Manjushri is mentioned in several Mahayana sutras including the Prajna-paramita Sutras, Lotus Sutra, Avatamsaka (Flower Adornment) Sutra, and the Vimalakirti Sutra. 

Manjushri is sometimes seen in a trinity with Vairochana Buddha (毘盧遮那佛 Piluzhena Fo) and Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (普賢菩薩 Puxian Pusa). The three together are known as the Avatamsaka Trinity or Three Holy Ones of the Avatamsaka World (華巖三聖 Huayan Sansheng).

Homage to Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom (南無大智文殊師利菩薩 Namo Dazhi Wenshu Shili Pusa).

Text © 2011 Harry Leong