The things I left behind

Chloez

Lunar 7th month~

The 7th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, usually August, is believed to be the most inauspicious time of the year. It is called the Ghost Month, and it climaxes on the 14th day of the month when the Chinese celebrate the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts. It is believed that hungry ghosts are ghosts of people that did not find everything they need to survive in their after life. If a ghost passes on, but does not have enough food, water, shelter, and other material things, it will come back into the world of the living to scare people and feed off their energy and fear. This month is believed to be the time when the gates of hell are opened to free the hungry ghosts who then wander not only to seek food on Earth but also to cause misfortune to the living.

The Hungry Ghosts Festival is an occasion that the Chinese take seriously. Chinese families pray and pay tribute to their departed family members and also to other unknown ghosts so that these wandering souls will not intrude into their daily life and bring along misfortunes or bad luck.Another interesting superstition that the Chinese have about the festival is that it is bad to go swimming during the seventh month. They think that an evil ghost might cause you to drown in the swimming pool. Children are also advised to return home early and not to wander around alone at night. Well in this modernised era most of the peoples doesnt trust all this kinda stuff anymoe.. for me, its better to bliv and go along with the tradition..no harm oso wad..

Chlo_e at 8/03/2008 04:58:00 PM