Yesterday was the first day of the seventh lunar month. I had gone to the temple to pray and was met with the sight of Taoist priestess' performing prayers for departed souls. At the same time, paper offerings were also burnt. At that time, I had just climbed up the hill and was rather exhausted. I had thought to pray to the deities before taking photographs of the ceremony. Unfortunately, by the time I had finished my prayers, the ceremony was also completed. And so, I only the above pictures to show.
For your information, the seventh lunar month is known as the Hungry Ghost Month. It is something like Halloween where the ghosts and ghouls come out to play. During the month of the Hungry Ghost, it is said that yin energies balance with yang for a short period. The yin energies are very strong during this period. The Taoists believe that on the first day of the seventh lunar month, the gates of hell is opened and the hungry ghosts and local spirits are released to roam freely. It is somewhat like a vacation for the ghosts.
In the year 2011, the Hungry Ghost month starts on July 31 and ends on August 28. The actual day of the Hungry Ghost Festival is August 13, 2011. And it is believed that the hungry ghosts expect to be fed on this day. It is believed that people can get sick easily during this month and the likelihood of them suffering mishaps and becoming victims of disasters is higher. People are also advised not to go swimming at this time as it is believed that angry spirits could cause drowning. As these spirits would be given the freedom to roam the streets, people are advised not to go out to often at night. It is also not advisable to get married during the Hungry Ghost month.
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