The month of September is traditionally celebrated as the Ghost Month in Chinese-influenced cultures. And while most Filipinos might not be familiar with the celebration itself, the beliefs surrounding it has become a part of our customs. For that, let’s learn more about what the season is all about and the things that you should be observing.
The story of Ghost Month
Also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Ghost Month refers to the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This typically falls between August and September in the Julian calendar. Meanwhile, the 15th day of the month is what is referred to as Ghost Day, which falls on September 2 for this year.
During this period, Buddhist and Taoist practitioners believe that the gates of the underworld are left open and restless spirits would roam the earth. Ghost Day is when the spirits are said to be at their strongest. These spirits are believed to bring mischief if not appeased. To prevent this, people make various offerings of food and other valued items, while Buddhist and Taoist priests conduct rituals to get the spirits to return to the underworld.
Traditions around the world
With Chinese communities and culture spreading to other countries for centuries, the celebration of the Ghost Month also spread to different countries. This created new traditions, as revelers incorporated local beliefs into the celebration. That assimilation created a more colorful celebration for the dead.
One of the entertaining traditions for Ghost Month is the getai done in some East and Southeast Asian countries. These are live performances conducted in public places. They usually consist of Chinese opera presentations, puppet shows, and even modern pop songs. One thing that you will notice in these shows is that the front row of seats is empty. These seats are reserved for the hungry ghosts who are believed to join the entertainment.
Another interesting Ghost Month tradition is that of Vietnam. The Ghost Month often coincides with the Vu Lan Festival. In modern times, the latter occasion is seen as the Vietnamese equivalent to Mother’s Day. As such people who still have living mothers would give them a red rose. Meanwhile, those whose mothers have already died would offer a white rose and prayers for the peace of their spirits.
Ghost month in the Philippines
While the Philippines doesn’t have any grand traditions relating to the Ghost Month, we have incorporated some of its aspects into our local beliefs. Many of these beliefs are associated with bringing luck to your side. There is also the matter of attracting more money flow.
Driving away bad luck
As the restless ghosts that roam the earth during this month supposedly bring in bad luck, you would want to drive that away. Here, Feng Shui experts suggest that you call off any events you have planned for the season. These include:
- Weddings
- Opening businesses
- Signing contracts
- Buying assets
- Traveling (especially overseas)
The general idea is that you should just sit back and wait until the season has passed and the spirits are back in the other world.
It is worth noting that market activity does slow down during this time of the year, as many business owners anticipate the effects of the practice. As such, you might find it indeed a little harder to make transactions during the time. On the other hand, Ghost Month can actually be a good opportunity for certain financial opportunities. But you still need to carefully assess these potential transactions first before proceeding.
Feng Shui masters also say that if your birthday falls within the Ghost Month period, it would be better to celebrate during the daytime. The belief here is that the negative energies are at the strongest during midnight. As such, you are likely to attract bad spirits more when you blow your birthday cake during that time.
You would also want to wear anything but red during Ghost Month. The color is believed to attract spirits more. If you are still going with it, you would want to have other brighter colors breaking it up. You can add charms to your attire to further deter spirits.
Attracting good luck
As is with the more familiar Chinese New Year, there are also various ways to attract more good luck during Ghost Month. One way you can do that is by letting more light into your home. For instance, you can keep the windows open throughout the day to make your home brighter.
Another common custom that even non-Chinoys follow is the giving of offerings to the hungry ghosts. This can be anything from food to beer, to even cigarettes. Some people also burn fake money or replicas of valuable objects like watches and cars as a send-off for the spirit.
An interesting tradition related to attracting good luck is not disturbing the insects that crawl around your house. The belief here is that these insects are the spirits of the dead. Some even assume them to be the spirits of relatives paying a visit. Driving them away can also drive good luck away.
Don’t be afraid of ghosts this month
While most of the dos and don’ts here are purely based on tradition, some people would still follow them strictly. Nevertheless, whether you subscribe to it or not, the Ghost Month is still a fascinating occasion. Check out what is in store for you this month and learn how you can get the most out of it.