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:
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