CHINESE GHOST FESTIVAL

The Ghost Festival, also known in China as the “Hungry Ghost Festival,” falls in the seventh month of the lunar calendar year. It is also celebrated in other countries, such as Malaysia and Singapore.

During the Ghost Fest, people offer sacrifices of food and fake money to appease the floating ghosts so they won’t haunt the living and make trouble. The way the food offering is prepared depicts various meanings. Raw food represents a cool, more distant relationship with the ghosts, while cooked food represents familiarity and a social relationship.

People also burn hell money and bags containing cloth to please the visiting ghosts and spirits of the ancestors, as well as other deities. Burning money will assure that the spirits have the money they need in the afterlife. Other activities include burying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies giving directions to the lost spirits of the ancestors.

Decorations:
Bamboo posts are raised all over in the cities that celebrate the festival. The posts are used to hang lanterns and banners. Raising the posts has two purposes: one is to lure wandering ghosts to the festivities, where they can receive offerings. The second is to invite all deities to supervise the festival and enjoy the offerings before them.

Superstitions:
The Chinese believe it is unwise to go swimming during the Ghost Festival, because an evil ghost might cause you to drown in the swimming pool. Children are also advised to return home early and to not wander around alone at night. This belief stems from the fear that wandering ghosts might possess children

JAPANESE GHOST FESTIVAL

O-bon, or simply Bon, is the Japanese version of the Ghost Festival. O-bon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating the departed spirits of one’s ancestors.

Over time, this festival has evolved into a family-reunion holiday and is celebrated from August 13 through August 15. Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors’ spirits on their journey. O-bon dances (Bon Odori) are performed to commemorate the ancestors and to appreciate their sacrifices. Graves are also visited at this time, and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.

VIETNAMESE GHOST FESTIVAL

The Vietnamese people do not celebrate Ghost Festival; rather they honor “Vietnamese Mother’s Day,” or Vu Lan. Vu Lan falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

Vu Lan originated from a Buddhist legend, but now it has been an occasion for everyone, regardless of religions, to pay respects to parents and to feed “homeless ghosts.” On Vu Lan, every family prepares a tray of paper clothes, paper money, plain rice-porridge grain snacks, and uncooked rice and salt to place with incense outside their front door in an offering to homeless hungry ghosts. Vu Lan is similar to the Chinese Ghost Festival, in that the Vietnamese burn hell money and offer food to the ancestors’ spirits.
Another Vu Lan tradition is for those whose mothers are alive to wear red roses on their shirts in thankfulness; those with mothers who have passed away pray for their souls and wear white roses on their shirts.

I remember doing that last year in Taiwan. Our entire building was involved. Food, wine, money (burned), etc. were offered to the wondering spirits out there. Also, nothing major gets done during ghost month- no weddings, no moves, etc.

Very interesting I am asian and I don't know anything about it?

Maybe you're not Asian afterall. You better check again...

I love anything paranormal. I love anything about ghosts... books shows etc. So when I hear ghost stories I im in awe. I understand why people do not do anything like move or weddings during these celebrations its much like the superstitions people have on halloween, the day of the dead or friday the 13th.

Also I think about it there are similar ghostsuperstitions about the recently departed that are the same.

My mother has a special calender (well, it's actually pretty common) that has a list of things that are good and a list of things that are bad for every day of the year. She follows it religiously.

I would really love to see that, I wanna know what i am doing wrong. (Probably Everything)

ooo like "Spirited Away" I love that movie, but it would creep me out!

It's not scary. I think the article gives the impression it's mainly about appeasing evil spirits instead of celebrating. O-bon is probably the most accessible festival for someone non-Asian if you get to choose. I've danced in the Seattle O-bon and I've also been to one in the suburbs outside of Tokyo where I visited some relatives. The Japanese American ones are really different and probably more 'fun'. You eat a lot of food, you get wrapped up stifling layers of yukata unless you go for shorts and a hapi, which is fine as well, and dance your pants off.

Bon dance is easy to pick up it's like Buddhist line dancing, lol. There's always tourists stopping by and joining the line. I say it's more accessible because it's like hapa central. Japanese Americans have one of the highest outmarriage rate so everyone there is in various concentrations. If you like mixed people, there ya go.

The movie Spirited Awayis more about ghosts and probably has more of a Chinese bent. O-bon is a festival for remembering your ancestors and dancing so that they can move up to a higher heaven. It's also to celebrate with other people. The ones in Japan are a bit more... formal, and maybe solemn but it's a sight to behold to see all the lanterns lighting up the countryside.

I would say that's the main cultural difference between Chinese and Japanese regarding ghost festival. We have a designated festival with other people. Chinese have it more ongoing and personal and certainly not all families go all out on the superstitions or offerings.

The calendar that Mellow is talking about is like an almanac, I think. Like auspicious vs. non-auspicious times if you're a rat, ox, etc. We had to move our wedding date twice because the almanac said so.

Thanks for the fyi. Interesting, never knew that.