Hong Kong’s Hungry Ghost Festival: all you ever wanted to know
The origins of the festival, the rituals that mark it, things you shouldn't do, and how to stay lucky - plus what to see of the festivities
Halloween lasts a single night, but in parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, ghosts are said to roam the earth for the entire seventh month of the lunar calendar.
Accounts vary but it’s generally believed that during the ghost month, the gates of hell open and restless spirits emerge to haunt the living. Benign spirits visit their families for feasting and entertainment.
In 2017, the seventh lunar month begins on August 22. The eerie activity peaks on September 5, the 15th day of the lunar month, known as Yu Lan, or Festival of the Hungry Ghosts. After two weeks of wandering the earth, the spooks are weary and ravenous, so it’s especially important on this day to keep them appeased.
Celebrated by the Chiu Chow community in particular, members of whom trace their roots to Guangdong province, it has evolved into a time to make offerings to ancestors, and appease malignant spirits walking among them.
Here are some things you should know about the ghost month and activities taking place around the city.
What are the everyday rituals?
