Hungry Ghosts are pitiable creatures. They have huge, empty stomachs, but their mouths are too small to take in food. They are doomed to live with incessant craving.
It is believed for one long lunar month the Gates of Hell are opened and restless spirits released to roam the Earth.
Tracing back to the Ullambana Sutra and the Buddha's disciple Mahamaudgalyayana, Yu Lan (Hungry Ghost) Festival is a traditional Chinese festival and celebrated by Chinese in many countries. By luck, we just happened to be visiting Hong Kong during this time and were able to participate in giving these poor creatures some relief.
During the seventh moon in the Chinese lunar calendar, the living make efforts to appease these restless spirits/transient ghosts, while feeding their own ancestors - particularly on the 15th day, which is the Yu Lan or Hungry Ghost Festival.
To celebrate, roadside fires are lit and people burn offerings for ghosts and ancestors to use in the afterlife. Our celebration included the burning of incense and offering of joss paper which included faux money (Hell Money), gold bars, silver bars, flowers and brightly colored clothes. In other roadside fires, we saw wine and food also offered.
What an amazing experience, we were honored to learn about this tradition and join in the city's living culture!
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