Hungry Ghost Festival in Singapore

7th of August was the start of lunar 7th month this year. Like all Taoist Chinese, my parents burnt paper money and incense during the 7th month, also known to the Taoist Chinese as Hungry Ghost Festival. To the traditional Chinese, it is not the best time to get married or move house. 

We believe it is the time of the year when the gate of hell is opened and the spirits are allowed to wander on earth for a period of one on lunar 7th month. Thus, do not be surprised if you see the there are fruit or food offering and paper burning in the incense container especially in the heartland. 

Getai Fever  from http://www.yoursingapore.com/content/traveller/en/browse/whats-on/festivals-and-events/hungry-ghost-festival.html

Every year, usually in the month of August, the Chinese in Singapore observe a large-scale tradition of paying respects to the dead. Taoist Chinese believe that during this month, the “Gates of Hell” are opened and souls of the dead are freed and allowed to roam the earth.

The best places to watch how the traditional rites are practised in Singapore are in the soul of the heartlands, where fellow believers congregate to burn incense sticks and present their offerings in the form of prayer, fruit such as Mandarin oranges, food such as roasted suckling pig, bowls of rice and occasionally a local Chinese cake made especially for the occasion. It is not uncommon to see various forms of tentage set up in open fields during this period, for the Chinese also believe in entertaining the spirits with boisterous live wayang and getai performances not only depicting tales of the divine gods and goddesses, but also bawdy stand-up comedy with a local twang, song and dance numbers in the various Chinese dialects and even sensually acrobatic pole dancing by felinely lithe spandex clad dancers.

Click here to read more Hungry Ghost Festival