In Hong Kong, the Hungry Ghost Festival is a major Buddhist and Taoist event. Hungry ghosts are the restless spirits of people who did not have a funeral. There is no one visiting their graves and they do not receive the gifts that Chinese people would take to their ancestors to pay respects. They miss out on food and spirit money.
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Taai Si Wong has a notebook and acts as the festival's policeman to ensure the ghosts
are behaving and everything at the festival has been completed properly. The effigy of Taai Si Wong
is burnt with joss paper to send him back to hell when the Hungry Ghost Festival is over.
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| Taai Si Wong |
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To stop the ghosts causing problems for the living, many communities provide them with food to appease them. The ghosts feed first but the food does not disappear. Then the living eat the offerings and pray for good luck.
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Huge paper mache models of clothes for ghosts. It will be burnt at the end of
the festival.
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| Paper clothing |
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Every year the Chinese people believe that the gate of hell will open and ghosts are allowed to roam the earth. During July / August, Hungry Ghost festival or "Yue Lan" takes place in many areas in Hong Kong. In each area, it lasts three days.
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Huge, fiery and striking paper effigy representing Taai Si Wong sitting on a
temporary altar. Taai Si Wong reports to the King of Hell.
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| Taai Si Wong |
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Sacrificial offerings are made by burning fake money notes, known as hell money, and even paper television or radio sets. Some families also burn paper houses and cars to give to their dead relatives. The Chinese feel that these offerings reach the ghosts and help them live comfortably in their world.
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Some presents for the restless spirits are sent to the underworld through fire.
So the food, paper clothing and spirit money are all burned for the ghosts.
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| Burning Money |
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Believers burn paper money to appease the restless spirits.
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Altars are built with bamboo poles. Taoist priests will take place to recite
passages from sacred books to ease hungry ghosts.
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| Altar for priests |
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During the Ghost festival days, the big Dragon Joss Stick is often used. This huge
joss stick is supposed to last during the festival duration, i.e. 3 days.
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| Dragon Joss Stick |
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Huge sticks of incense are burning day and night.
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Old lady burning joss stick to please the visiting ghosts and spirits, as well as
deities and ancestors.
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| Old lady |
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Worshippers come to kneel, pray and place fresh incense stick. Most of them are women.
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The Taoist priest recites passages from sacred books loudly to help the Hungry Ghosts
to transmigrate to a new life.
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| Taoist priest |
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They pray to the ghosts for peace, harmony, and happy living. They hope the hungry ghosts will not disturb them in the future.
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A paper horse effigy a representation of the Horse Spirits.
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| Paper horse effigy |
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