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The Yue Lan – Chinese Festival of the Hungry Ghost in Hong Kong |
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| Festivals & Events, Hong Kong Heritage & Culture No Comment |
The Yue Lan - Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong
The Yue Lan or Hungry Ghost is a festival to satisfy discontented and restless spirits; those called the hungry ghosts. These ghosts are believed to wander the earth with hunger and long for unleashing their pain and frustrations from their life time. To the belief of many Chinese people, there exists a door between the earth and the underworld that will open once a year on the 15th day of the seventh Lunar Month. The Yue Lan festival is held for one month beginning on this day, which will be September 2 in 2009.
The purpose of this festival is to prevent the restless spirits from causing harm to the living. Based on superstition many will avoid going outdoors at night, some parents will curfew their children, and silence falls on many areas as people keep inside their houses.
As part of a ritual, there will be various displays in front of businesses or private residences. People will burn fake money and paper representations of luxury cars, houses, and other daily items. The idea is that burning these items is a way to pass them to the spirits and bring them comfort in their world. Also, foods and fresh fruits are offered to feed their ancestor’s spirits and the hungry ghosts.
 The Yue Lan - People is burning money papers on the street. |
 The Yue Lan - The Food Offerrings for Hungry Ghosts |
The highlights of Hungry Ghost Festival will take place over 2-3 days. Streets are lit up with Chinese paper lanterns and full of the smell of incense to keep the ghosts away. In some areas, there will be fireworks and Chinese operas as this is believe to be performance for the spirits. The one month during the festival is considered as a period of bad luck and Chinese people will avoid moving house, buying car or home, getting married, changing careers, or doing anything affect their life in the long-term.
It is in Chinese Tradition to never forget the dead and to honor them with regular ceremonials. The Yue Lan is a period to respect the restless dead and to protect the living.
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