The counterpart of Halloween in the West is the Ghost Festival of China, which falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh moon in the lunar calendar. It is a vital occasion for followers of the Buddha and Lao Tze; food offerings are prepared to honor the dead.
Origins: A Buddhist classic carries the seminal legend for the Ghost festival: When Sakyamuni (one of the incarnations of Buddha) first preached the doctrine of Buddhism in India, he had two disciples. One was named Mu Lien. One day, while visiting heaven, Mu Lien met the spirit of his father. The spirit pleaded with him to save his mother who was suffering in the inferno.
He descended to hell and found his mother with a group of hunger-stricken ghosts. She could neither eat nor drink. He at once procured a bowl of rice for his mother, but it turned to burning coals as she touched it.
Mu, helpless, asked for aid from his master. Sakyamuni said: "Your mother's sin is so heavy that your force alone cannot save her. Invite 100,000 monks and prepare all kinds of offerings to heaven to plead for mercy for your mother." Mu Lien overcame innumerable difficulties and carried out his master's instructions. Thereafter, Buddhists held these religious ceremonies in prayer for their parents' dead souls.
This tale was translated into Chinese during the Western Chin dynasty, after Buddhism's introduction to China; it was popularized during the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Another connecting legend is based on a story from a famous old novel Monkey. Emperor Tai-tsung of the Tang dynasty once dreamed he visited hell; all the condemned ghosts pleaded for his help. When he woke, he ordered monk San-Tsang to obtain a set of Buddhist sutras from India. He conducted a 49-day grand religious service for the afflicted souls, praying they would again join humankind after six samsara (ages) had passed.
A popular belief in Taiwan is that the gate to hell is opened at daybreak of lunar July 1 every year, allowing the condemned souls to visit their old homes and descendants and partake of food in the real world. The holiday ends July 30, and they must return to hell before the gate closes.
Some souls forget the time; they cannot return to hell and must wander in this world. To propitiate these homeless ghosts, and in fear that their own ancestors may be drifting lonely and uncared for, it is Chinese tradition to hold a grand religious ceremony on July 15 of the lunar calendar. All kinds of offerings, including vegetables, fruits, cakes, all kinds of meat, rice and wine are prepared as tokens of welcome and concern.
Customs: On the eve of the Ghost Festival, a round paper lantern attached to a bamboo pole is set up in the courtyard of each temple. On the night of the festival, each lantern is lighted to guide solitary ghosts lost in the world. It is believed that the higher the bamboo pole, the more souls will discern the far-reaching light.
Floating lanterns on the water is another custom, intended to save people from drowning. It is said that people who drown are confined to a water-prison year-round, unless they can find a substitute victim. Merciful Buddha could not bear the plight of the substitutes and directed every temple to release bright lanterns on the waters to greet drowned souls and help relieve their bitterness.
In general, the scope of the water ceremony in south China was grander than that in the north because there are more swamps and rivers to the south of the Yangtze River, and consequently more drowned ghosts. All of the lanterns were made from oiled paper of varied patterns. People in the north preferred to fashion their lanterns after the lotus flower, which is believed to be the pedestal of Sakyamuni and, like holy water in the West, antagonistic to evil. In Peiping, some temples made lanterns from lotus leaves.
In Taiwan, most lanterns are patterned after houses. Buoyed up by banana leaves, the small paper houses have a candle inside. A couplet on a doorframe might say: "Receiving ghosts from the long water ways and in shimmering light."
The ceremony generally starts at dusk with each procession member holding a lighted water lantern and walking in file to the waterfront. When the priests begin to chant the sutras, the lighted lanterns are released into river or surf, one after another.
This activity was banned when Taiwan was under the rule of the Japanese during the war years, and since then the water ceremony has lost much of its following. Only Keelung city, Hsinpu in Hsinchu County and the villages around Taoyuan have revived the ceremony.
Festivities: Yi-min Temple at Hsinpu, Hsinchu County, is one of the few places that have kept the traditional ceremony intact. In order to accommodate more guests, the temple's gala is postponed to July 20 of the lunar calendar.
Ke-tsai-hsi, Taiwanese opera, is staged three days before the Ghost festival as a prelude to the pageant. An open theater is set up in front of the temple; the show starts at 2 o'clock every afternoon with the mixed voices of gongs and drums. While historic legends extolling such human virtues as filial piety, loyalty, justice and chastity take place on stage, peddlers compete for the audience's money and children play fun card games under the stage. The aged, sitting on benches with fans in their hands, especially enjoy the plays. The side activities never truly disturb the performers because they feel that many friends from the spirit world are attending.
Visitors mark a large paper-mache statue of "Lord Tashih" housed in the temple's shrine. Honored as leader of the spirits, Lord Tashih has colorful clothes, a red tongue hanging down to his chest and a small statue of the Goddess of Mercy on his head. The lord is flanked by two small houses. The one on his left is for scholars and that on his right is for the general public. In addition, there are rooms for male and female souls.
The 15 villages of Hsinpu take turns producing the Ghost Festival ceremony at Yi-min Temple. The village in charge is honored as "Master Censor" and is responsible for the memorial service and open theater performances, and for providing the offerings which bring the ceremony to its climax.
A highlight of the festivities is selection of the champion hog for the ceremony's food offering. It is believed that those who can raise a hog of more than 1,000 lbs must have virtuous ancestors. To raise the champion is a great glory.
The competition is simple because only the weight of the hogs is used to judge the winner. After evaluation, those ranked before the tenth are dressed up gorgeously the morning of the festival and paraded publicly on floats. Over 1,000 hogs are butchered on the eve of the festival.
It takes two years to raise a hog for the competition. Special diets are provided to increase weight rapidly. Besides such regular food as soybean cake and sweet potato leaves, the hogs pick up extra nutriments from carrot juice, eggs, apples, yogurt and bread. For two meals a day, the cost may be as much as US$4 per hog per day.
As hogs grow heavier, they need more intensive care. In the summer's blazing heat, fans must be turned on to keep them cool. They are forced to take ten baths a day to refresh themselves. At night, special incense is burned to drive away mosquitoes.
Early on the day of the festival, visitors, acrobats, peddlers and ke-tsai-hsi performers begin to pour in. Then around 10 o'clock, trucks of huge hogs on wooden racks line up to enter the temple square. A pineapple in the mouth of every hog invokes Buddha's help for prosperity. To keep the meat fresh, all are constantly basted with wine.
Masters of the champion hogs erect floral arches to identify their winners. Though only a modest sum (US$80) and a medal are presented to the winner, the farmers feel the glory of winning is worth the labor.
To end the annual pageant, banquets are given by each household of the "Master Censor" village. Hospitable hosts may even share their feast with visitors.
One of the festival organizers in Hsinpu said: "To honor the spirits and our ancestors is a tradition of the Chinese people, a feast for the spirits. . .and the soul. This festival and pageant provide a watering hole for people living in busy, modern society. We are part of our past history as well as searchers for the future."
[Picture Caption]
1 & 3. Ghost Festival is a major event in Chinese rural society, intended to honor and welcome wandering souls. On the eve of the festival, Buddhists and Taoists release floating lanterns, bright with candlelight, on the waters to guide drowned souls to the ceremony. 2. Lanterns hung atop long bamboo poles will, later, glow with candlelight and guide ghosts moving in the air.
1. At the invitation of Yi-min Temple, a local band from Hsinpu town plays for the Ghost Festival. 2 & 4. Shown are the details of a chapel decorated for the Ghost Festival. The figure in the middle is Lord Tashih, who is said to be the leader of souls and spirits in hell. Once a devourer of humans, the lord savors ordinary food offerings every lunar July after having his monstrous appetite suppressed by the Goddess of Mercy. Two small houses flanking Lord Tashih are resting stations for spirits. 3. Though the ceremony has waned in recent years, Buddhists and Taoists still pray the altar for the wellbeing of departed souls. 5. A prelude to the pageant, ke-tsai-hsi--Taiwanese opera, is staged three days before the festival.
1 & 2. The champion hog contest is a highlight of the festivities at Yi- min Temple in Hsinpu town. Each household of a specially appointed village raises a huge hog for the competition. The best are displayed in colorful pavilions. This year, the champion tipped the scales at 1,11 5 pounds. 3. In addition to bamboo pole and floating lanterns, the temples themselves flaunt myriad lights to guide and welcome the spirits.
水燈指引水鬼,而陸上的鬼魂則用竹桿,掛上燈籠、點上燭火的「燈篙」來引導。.
Lanterns hung atop long bamboo poles will, later, glow with candlelight and guide ghosts moving in the air.
At the invitation of Yi-min Temple, a local band from Hsinpu town plays for the Ghost Festival.
hown are the details of a chapel decorated for the Ghost Festival. The figure in the middle is Lord Tashih, who is said to be the leader of souls and spirits in hell. Once a devourer of humans, the lord savors ordinary food offerings every lunar July after having his monstrous appetite suppressed by the Goddess of Mercy. Two small houses flanking Lord Tashih are resting stations for spirits.
Though the ceremony has waned in recent years, Buddhists and Taoists still pray the altar for the wellbeing of departed souls.
hown are the details of a chapel decorated for the Ghost Festival. The figure in the middle is Lord Tashih, who is said to be the leader of souls and spirits in hell. Once a devourer of humans, the lord savors ordinary food offerings every lunar July after having his monstrous appetite suppressed by the Goddess of Mercy. Two small houses flanking Lord Tashih are resting stations for spirits.
A prelude to the pageant, ke-tsai-hsi--Taiwanese opera, is staged three days before the festival.
The champion hog contest is a highlight of the festivities at Yi- min Temple in Hsinpu town. Each household of a specially appointed village raises a huge hog for the competition. The best are displayed in colorful pavilions. This year, the champion tipped the scales at 1,11 5 pounds.
The champion hog contest is a highlight of the festivities at Yi- min Temple in Hsinpu town. Each household of a specially appointed village raises a huge hog for the competition. The best are displayed in colorful pavilions. This year, the champion tipped the scales at 1,11 5 pounds.
In addition to bamboo pole and floating lanterns, the temples themselves flaunt myriad lights to guide and welcome the spirits.
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