This weekend we went on a tour to learn about the hungry ghost festival. It is a local festival that is celebrated annually during the 7th lunar month. It is believed by many Chinese people that the spirits of deceased persons roam the earth during this time. Spirits with no family members on earth have no where to go and no one to provide for them. The emphasis of this ancient festival is on respecting and remembering the dead.
Neighborhood events entertain and feed the hungry ghosts. Roadside offerings, incense sticks and paper money can be seen. There are large stages set up for Chinese Opera (wayang) and pop concerts (getai). The front row is always left empty for the special guests! We went out to a couple of these and were clearly the only non-locals among the crowd. Nonetheless, we were invited to stay for dinner and welcomed into the temples.
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