If you ever come to Taiwan in August or September, you might notice strange customs like, people avoiding the water on a hot day, massive food offering ceremonies, water lantern lighting, empty front seats at every event, people burning money, parades of people in costumes or even greased poles competition if you go to Yilan or Hengchun. You’ve arrived during Ghost Month Festival!
Taking place for a whole month and celebrated through all of Taiwan (Keelung being the biggest), it is a festival filled with many different local events. This festival is characterised by the belief that the gates to Hell are open and the dead visit the living during this whole month.
Popularised by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, this is one of the 12 major festivals in Taiwan and a fun event to witness to learn more about the local culture. Similar to Halloween, it is quite different. Here’s why:
Origin
This event originates from the Qing dynasty when the first settlers came to Keelung. Conflict soon arose between the immigrants leading to armed hostilities. The tipping point was the battle of Hangding (Nanrong Cemetary) in 1853, resulting in a bloodbath of over a hundred casualties.
Wishing to avoid another massacre, leaders and elders of both sides negociated a truce. The casualties were burried, worshipped and refered to as Lao Da Gong. The negociations continued and every family would organize the Ghost Festival; they became the 11 families of Keelung.
Parade competition and events during the Ghost Festival replaced the armed conflict and brought everyone closer, bringing peace.
Belief & Mythology
Ghost month Festival comes from a mix of Taoist and Buddhist beliefs. Ghost month follows the tale of Moggallana, one of Buddha’s closest disciple who has attained enligthenment.
The tale starts when our hero has a vision of his mother as a hungry ghost. Searching for his mother in Hell, he finds her in the preta realm, hungry ghost realm. In a bad shape, he tries to give her rice. But as she brings the rice to her mouth, the rice burst in flames and only burning ashes remain, making it impossible for her to nourish herself.
Saddened by the fact that he can’t help his mother, he goes back to Buddha for help. Buddha tells him that his mother is suffering for her past mistakes of being greedy and unkind in her past life. But in order to redeem her past sins (or any deceased family member); he would have to offer food to the sangha (monastic community) during Pravarana; the 15th day of the seventh month, where the gates of Hell are opened and the ghosts wander the Earth.
Having completed the task, his mother was eventually sent to Heaven. As the prayers become more effective in a collective effort, this tradition became the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Main event:
Day 1 (seventh lunar month): The Gates of Hell are opened at noon at Laodagong Temple in Keelung.
Day 12: Lights are lit at Chupu Temple, in Keelung.
Day 13: A large parade throughout Keelung is held to honor the 15 clans involved.
Day 14: Main event where a big parade makes its way to Keelung Harbor for the release of water lanterns at midnight.
Day 15: Food offerings at temples and homes to deliver wandering spirits from their suffering.
Day 1 (eight lunar month): The Gates of Hell are shut at 5pm at Laodagong Temple, giving time for the tardy spirits to return back to the underworld.
Toucheng Ghost Grappling Festival (Qianggu)
Head to Toucheng, in Yilan, to witness an incredible competition during Ghost Month. During the occasion, tall poles of bamboo reaching up to 20 meters are raised vertically and tied to a framework. The poles are then greased and a flag is placed on top. The goal is for the contestants to climb the greasy pole, get offerings along the way and to get to his flag before the others. Winners are blessed with luck and fortune during the rest of the year. It is a great event to witness the local culture of Yilan.
Credit Swann Magimel
Pigs of God Festival
If you visit Taoyuan during the Ghost Month you may witness a ritual practiced by the Hakka called the Pigs of God Festival. During this event, pigs are extremely overfed during the year in order to sacrifice it to the Gods and wandering ghosts at the festival. The fatter the pig, the more blessings the people will receive.
Facing controversy in the past year because of the animal rights movement activists who pointed out the cruelty of the event on the pigs. Even though the activity is illegal, the politicians don’t want to make a change to the practice in fear of the backlash of the population who sees this activity as being part of Hakka’s heritage and should be preserved.
It is a big celebration in Taoyuan with a lot of street performances, dances, parades and other animal sacrifices.
Superstitions
Religion and belief plays a big role in the Taiwanese life. This is why there exists a lot of superstitions during the Ghost Month. It is believed that most problems in society are caused by mischeavious ghosts who have been neglected. This is why Ghost Month is the time to appease them through offerings and prayers. To avoid angering the spirits, these are the taboos and actions to avoid:
Avoid the water
You will not see a lot of swimmers during this month because it is believed that it is easier for spirits to possess you in water. Dangerous water currents and drowning is more likely to happen.
Don’t call them Ghosts
Refer to them as Good brothers instead, if not they will think you are calling them to you and try to play tricks on you.
Be careful at night
More active during nightime, it is recommended not to call someone by name, whistling, leaving your clothes out to dry or saying your address out loud for you may attract unwanted visitors.
Don’t sit in the front rows
Left for the good brothers, they may be mad at you if you take their seat.
Don’t stick your chopsticks in your food
Good brothers might mistake your food for an offering (mistaking the chopstick for an incense stick) and get mad at you for eating their food.
Don’t make any big change in your life
It is inauspicious to move out, to start a business or get married during the Ghost Month.
Conclusion
Wheather you believe in ghosts or not, Ghost Month Festival is an interesting festival to witness the folk culture and beliefs in Asia and a very good reason to get out and explore Taiwan. I hope this article help you learn more about the local culture; leave a comment if this was useful to you. Happy Ghost Month Festival!