Ghost Month: Let's worship our "Good Brothers"

Author/Sophie Kuo

In lunar 15th July, Taiwanese honored the wandering dead, the so-called “brother” through the Pudu rite. How’s your day?

In Southeast Asian world, there are the festivals related to ghosts with different custom. Japanese give others gifts, Korean pray for the good harvest and Vietnamese have some similar custom as Taiwanese. Vietnamese names this as Vu-lan as a part of Taiwanese. Another majority names this as Chungyuan Festival.

The seventh lunar month is traditionally considered as Ghost Month. The gates of hell is opened and the souls of the dead wandering in the living. Both Taoist and Buddhist honor the departed and to keep things safe by offering them the food and setting the water lanterns mostly. Still, there are other activities such as chiang gu activity.

Apart from the meaning and history behind the festival and ways we do, some caution pass down by the elderly. For instance, don’t play in the river or beach during Ghost Month. But, it depends! Depends on whether you believe or not. Is there any similarity with yours?

Have fun and wish you all safe in the seventh lunar month!