Party with ghosts

DID you recently notice the Chinese ancient-styled flags by the sidewalks? If you ask a friend, they might tell you these flags are guides leading people to the temple.

“Most of them actually do not know that these flags are not guidance for humans. It’s for our departed ‘good friends’ (ghosts),” said Tan Kong Pai, 70, a leading priest at Tian Hou Gong temple in Temerloh, Pahang.

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Tan, 70, a priest for over 30 years, said that according to Chinese tradition, the 15th day of the seventh month of the Chinese Lunar calendar (Aug 24) was set aside to offer prayers to the departed souls.

“They are referred to as ‘Hungry Ghosts’ and the festival is called ‘Yi Lan Jie’ or ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’,” he said in a recent interview.

He said the month-long festival was specifically meant for departed souls that did not have descendents or any living relatives to provide offerings to.

“If they cannot pray on Aug 24, they can choose to offer their prayers to the spirits on any month,” he said.

The belief was that the departed souls were restless and the prayers offered would

help appease them, he said.

According to Tan, different temples set a different date for their Ghost Month celebration, but the process of the celebration is usually very similar.

“Early in the morning, monks set up altars with food especially meats, fruits, desserts, red and white candles, joss sticks and animal blood depending on different beliefs.

“They perform prayers until the evening. By evening, the lead priest will go to the cemetery to invite all the ghosts to join the feast,” he said.

The ceremony continues with the burning of joss sticks, papier m‰chŽ made in the form of a house, money, maids, ships, keys and other household items.

“Some people might release Origami lotus with white candles on it to the river,” Tan said.

The Chinese believe the light will lead the ghosts that have lost their sense of direction to their respective ‘destination’.

“The monk leads the ghosts back to their home, which is the cemetery, by 11am on Aug 24,” he said.

The Ghost festival has still not lost its significance among the Chinese.

“Most of them are still practicing the culture, it’s much more exciting. In the past, less people join the celebration but nowadays more and more people are keen in taking part.

“This is good and keeps the tradition going,” he said with a smile.

By: Wong Wei Ling (23.09.10)