Zhong Yuan Jie Festival celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month of the Chinese calendar, although festivities take place throughout the month. It is also known in Singapore as the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’. This festival is steeped in Chinese beliefs of filial piety, ancestor worship and ghosts.

On the last evening of the sixth lunar month, replica paper money— commonly known as ‘hell money’— is burnt and joss sticks lit for the ghosts who will be released from the netherworld for a month from the following day. In Singapore, cylindrical receptacles resembling large oil drums are placed at housing estates in preparation for the burnt offerings. People who do not use these communal receptacles delineate their private spaces with white chalk. Offerings are seldom made inside the house, for fear of inviting unwanted spirits in.

The seventh lunar month is marked by lively events such as auctions, operas and getai (stage performances). The auction is marked by the booming voice of the auctioneer, and competitive bidding for ‘auspicious items’, ranging from figurines to plants and ornaments.

The opera and getai performances are free and are held on makeshift stages in open spaces. In recent years, getai performances have become something of a flesh parade, featuring scantily- clad women in flamboyant makeup. However, there remains a handful of getai performances featuring witty hosts and talented performers. A talented host can earn up to $8,000 per show. A common practice is for performers to rush from one performance venue to the next, where they wait in line for their turn on stage.

The 15th day of the month is Zhong Yuan. The Chinese observe it by ‘sending’ to the netherworld material possessions such as money, clothes, houses, cars and even credit cards and the latest electronic gadgets, by burning paper replicas. Families honour their ancestors with a sumptuous feast comprising roasted meats, vegetables, fruit, cakes, cookies and wine. These are usually placed on a table outside the house. Those without an altar look up at the sky when praying, clasping joss sticks between their hands. Priests may also be called upon to chant the sutras, petitioning the gods to assist loved ones in the netherworld. Huge joss sticks, some up to 3 m in height, are burnt, usually in the common areas of housing estates or in temple compounds.

The Chinese consider the seventh lunar month to be an inauspicious time for important events such as weddings, and for moving house or starting a business.

Photo credit: Singapore Press Holdings/ The Straits Times