This has led to a practice that has now become tradition – for the whole of the month, people pay their respects to the dead to ensure they are at peace and do not cause mischief among the living.
In Hong Kong, the Hungry Ghost Festival holds special significance. The festival is thought to have roots in Buddhist, Taoist and folk traditions dating back to the Tang dynasty (618-907).
During the festival, the city comes alive with vibrant rituals and community events. Public parks and temples are adorned with offerings, incense and paper effigies, creating an atmosphere of reverence and mystique.
The festival is steeped in superstition and rituals designed to show respect and to avoid the wrath of wandering spirits. The activities and beliefs associated with this festival reveal a deep-seated fear and regard for the supernatural.
Burning incense and joss paper is another common practice. The fragrant smoke of the incense is thought to guide the spirits, while the joss paper, which represents gifts and money, is burned as an offering to ensure the spirits have the resources they need in the afterlife.
In Taoist and Buddhist culture, chanting scriptures and performing religious ceremonies are also meant to bring peace to the spirits and protect the living.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is also a time when numerous taboos and precautions are observed to avoid attracting or offending the spirits.
Here are five spooky superstitions that come into play during this ghostly festival.
1. Avoid the darkness
2. Say no to new beginnings
Major life events such as moving to a new house, starting a new business or getting married are generally avoided during this month. It is believed that the presence of wandering spirits can bring bad luck or negative energy to these important milestones.
3. Wardrobe woes
Wearing black and red during the festival is ill-advised. These colours are thought to attract spirits or signify bad luck. Instead, it is better to dress in neutral colours to avoid drawing unwanted attention from the supernatural realm.
4. We do not use the number four
5. Clothes, walls and insects
Do not leave your clothes hanging outside at night, as it is believed that spirits might try on the garments and leave behind their negative energy. Standing too close to a wall is avoided as well, as ghosts are thought to like to hug walls.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is a time of reverence and caution, where the living and the supernatural coexist in a delicate balance – moths and butterflies are thought to be visiting ancestors, so try not to swat them.
If you feel an odd chill or hear an unusual whisper this month, who knows? You might have just had an encounter with a wandering ghost.