The Hungry Ghost Festival
In the coming Aug 22nd - we'll be in the Hungry Ghost Festival, it will end on Sept 22nd. The hell's gate will be opened, so restless spirits will be roaming around. You will see most Taoist Chinese will burn prayer papers, paper money and do offerings for these poor souls ok.
Certain places will organize a huge prayers. Most of them are community driven.
Just think it like feeding the homeless. I need to do these posts as once im a freaking ignorant Chinese who doesnt give any hoot about this cultural significance. So most of the time, i will be labelled as OCBC ( orang cina bukan cina ). Dont get confused with another festival which is Qing Ming, or also known as Cheng Beng prayers. The Qing Ming prayers is where all the family members will come back, clean up their grandparents grave. This action is to pay respect to your lineage and know where you coming from.
Im from the peranakan family and we will call it "chu sian" ( ancestor ) prayers. We will have the prayers also 2 or 3 days before the eve of Chinese New Year.
Most of the time, i will ask questions, but the answers doesnt satisfy me worst, their answers can be vague, misleading - so you guys need to know WHO and where to ask about this festival objectives - the typical why, where, when, who and etc.
Qing Ming is like a new year for the deceased. Few families will burn awesome offerings to them.
same like the Muslims, where they will visit and clean up the graves, offering prayers to the departed ones during or before Hari Raya. These act again symbolizes the act of returning, reclaiming and respect of where you come from.
Certain places will organize a huge prayers. Most of them are community driven.
Just think it like feeding the homeless. I need to do these posts as once im a freaking ignorant Chinese who doesnt give any hoot about this cultural significance. So most of the time, i will be labelled as OCBC ( orang cina bukan cina ). Dont get confused with another festival which is Qing Ming, or also known as Cheng Beng prayers. The Qing Ming prayers is where all the family members will come back, clean up their grandparents grave. This action is to pay respect to your lineage and know where you coming from.
Im from the peranakan family and we will call it "chu sian" ( ancestor ) prayers. We will have the prayers also 2 or 3 days before the eve of Chinese New Year.
Most of the time, i will ask questions, but the answers doesnt satisfy me worst, their answers can be vague, misleading - so you guys need to know WHO and where to ask about this festival objectives - the typical why, where, when, who and etc.
Qing Ming is like a new year for the deceased. Few families will burn awesome offerings to them.
same like the Muslims, where they will visit and clean up the graves, offering prayers to the departed ones during or before Hari Raya. These act again symbolizes the act of returning, reclaiming and respect of where you come from.
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