Zhongyuan Festival, also known as Ghost Festival, is generally held in China from the first three days to the last four days of the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, with a period of one week. Singapore, on the other hand, is the ghost month, from July 19th, the beginning of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, Singapore has fully entered the ghost month.
Throughout the month, you will see paper money burning, candle lighting, and incense burning all over the island. However, unlike previous years, the most lively song stage will be suspended due to the epidemic.
Origin of the Ghost Festival
Singapore has 70% Chinese, so the traditional Chinese festivals are well preserved here, and the ghost festivals are also inherited from China.
Ghost Festival is a traditional festival in China since ancient times. On this day, people burn paper money and place offerings to pay homage to the dead spirits of deceased relatives. There are many theories about the origin of the Ghost Festival.
One of them is the Jizo Bodhisattva's self-serving practice. According to legend, Jizo Bodhisattva, who is often referred to as Yama Wangye, went to the Yin Cao Di Mansion after his mother died and was imprisoned in a cell and suffered a lot of torture.
Seeing that his mother was suffering, Prince Yan could not bear it, so on The fifteenth day of July, he bent the law for personal gain and let the little ghost guarding the cell secretly open the cell door and his mother came out. Who knows, as soon as the prison door opened, all kinds of little ghosts rushed to the human world, so this day became a ghost festival.
Ghost Festivals are found all over the world. For example, Halloween in Western countries, such as mexico's Day of the Dead, "Dream Quest" is about it.
In China, a few days before and after the Middle Yuan Festival, everyone remembers their deceased relatives. But in Singapore, the Ghost Festival was directly upgraded to a month, and from the beginning of July, the "Ghost Gate" began to open...
Ghost Festival customs
Singapore's Ghost Festival customs are colorful. But an indispensable part is to "send" coins and paper ties to the deceased relatives.
Speaking of today's paper ties, it is really up to date! Burn whatever you want. For example, laptops.
Musang King Durian
Various medicinal oils
In addition to burning paper, the Singapore Ghost Festival's Zhongyuan Festival is the biggest highlight, but unfortunately it cannot be held offline this year.
Zhongyuan will be held online
Singapore's Zhongyuan Society is dotted with temples, trade unions, streets and more. The Zhongyuanhui mainly includes the Fukushidai and the Songdai. After the worship, everyone can share the sacrificial food together.
At the same time, items in the worship will be bid for. These items, such as wine, decorations, fans, microwave ovens, etc., are called blessings here, and the funds of the bidding will be used for charity.
In addition, there is a song table. As soon as the stage was set up on the lawn downstairs of the HDB house, the song stage became, which was the spiritual food for the "good brothers".
In previous years, Singapore's Ghost Moon was buzzing with celebrations for a month. However, this year, due to the epidemic, crowds are not allowed to gather, and offline activities have all moved online.
Preserve the traditional custom: make mini song platform floats
Date: August 22 from 6pm
Khaki said: Mid-metaverse
Date: From 6pm, August 28
Week 5 Music Station: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre x yes 933
Date: September 4 at 8pm
"Singapore Chinese: Exploring Local Chinese Culture" exhibition
Date: Daily 10am – 8pm (open from 2pm on Mondays; closed early at 3pm on August 21st and 28th)
Both gameplay and video viewing can be accessed through the Singapore Chinese Culture Centre's official website, Facebook, and YouTube (https://singaporeccc.org.sg/zh/). You can also enter the 2nd floor of the Singapore Chinese Culture Centre for free and experience the Chinese culture for yourself.
Ghost Day taboo
Finally, I would like to remind you of the taboos of ghost festivals. Because the "ghost door" is wide open, not all ghosts are good ghosts. Therefore, there are some taboos in the ghost month have to be said.
01, do not step on the road sacrifice!
When you see the offerings on the side of the road, remember that you must go around. Originally, people are ready to bite, you kick up, whether intentional or unintentional, this...
02, do not sit in the first row of the song stage!
Everyone will definitely find that the first row of the song stage is empty, you must not be happy to think that no one sits down to grab it, it is left for the "good brothers"...
03, do not take pictures at night!
It is said that at this time, when taking pictures at night, there will be "good brothers" in the camera
04, the slipper head do not rush to the bed!
Watch out, someone stepping on your slippers and climbing into your bed...
05, do not pick up money on the side of the road!
Although the Singapore government has prepared iron barrels for burning paper money for everyone, there are always accidentally floating out or being thrown out!
So, this, this time must polish the eyes, there are a lot of oversized tickets on the side of the road, but don't pick up, don't pick up, don't pick up...
06, do not stand against the wall!
Don't stand against the wall, in case you stretch out a hand, everyone makes up for it...
07, hear others shouting names do not turn back!
When you hear someone behind you calling you, don't turn back, even if you want to, you must turn around completely, it is said that there is a guard lamp on the head and neck and left and right shoulders of the person, in case of chaotic turning back, the light will be turned off.
08, do not pat others on the shoulder!
Because everyone has three fires on their bodies, located on their shoulders and above their heads, ghosts will not dare to get close, and if they use their hands to extinguish the fire on their shoulders, ghosts will be easy to find trouble.
09, don't cry in the middle of the night!
When the Lone Soul Wild Ghost hears the cry, it thinks it is summoning it!
10, do not look in the mirror at night!
Dress up for people to see during the day and for ghosts to see at night. Look in the mirror at night, what if the ghost comes out to appreciate?
Some people may say that in this era, what ghosts and ghosts are still talking about, it is not scientific. In fact, the original intention of the Zhongyuan Festival is only to commemorate our deceased family, as for these legendary stories and customs, believe it or not, it is a personal choice. Macaronis, what do you say?