Chinese Halloween??
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, or Yulan Festival is a traditional Buddhist and Taoist festival held in certain Asian Countries. In Chinese calendar, the Ghost Festival is held on the 15th night of the seventh month, which is 25th August in 2018.
In traditional Chinese belief, the spirits or ghosts are freed from the 14th day of the seventh month for 3 days (some say for 7 days whereas some say until the end of the month). It is believed that some souls would revisit their home, which finds some similarities with the belief of Halloween.
Therefore many local people would worship their ancestors by tending roadside fires and burning faux money as well as other offerings for spirits and ancestors to use in their afterlife.
Also, throughout the seventh month of Chinese calendar, different community organisations would organise various exhibitions for the festival. Each exhibition normally would last for 3 days and one of the biggest exhibitions is staged in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. There would be Chinese opera held on bamboo stages, to praise the charitable and pious deeds of the deities.
Yu Lan Cultural Festival 2018 Date: 24–26 August
Time: 10am to 8pm
Venue: Soccer Pitch 1, Victoria Park, Causeway Bay
Photo Sources: Federation of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community Organisation & LingYin Temple
Comments