The start of the 7th month in the Lunar Calendar

Phor Thor: The Hungry Ghosts
Suzette Toms

PHOR THOR: The Hungry Ghosts

Every year in August, on fifteenth day of the seventh moon in the Chinese Lunar calendar, the Chinese believe the gates of Hell are opened and the spirits of the dead are let loose to wander among the living. This marks the beginning of the Hungry Ghost Festival and is the climax of a month long celebration. This festival celebrates a connection between the living and the dead, earth and heaven as well as body and soul. The Hungry Ghost Festival has roots in the Buddhist festival, Ullambana, and also Daoist culture. In the Tang Dynasty, the Ullambana and Daoist festivities were combined and celebrated on the same day. The Ghost Festival has special meaning for all Buddhists and is one of their most important festivals. The Buddhist origins of the festival can be traced back to a story originally from India. It is an account of a wealthy merchant, Mu-lien, who after attaining enlightenment seeks out his parents. He finds his father in heaven and his mother a hungry ghost in Hell, sent to Hell for her greed. Mu-lien had asked her to be kind to any Buddhist monks that came her way, but she was not. Mu-lien rescues his mother from hell by battling various demons and imploring Buddha's help. A deal is made and Buddha installs a day of prayer and offering in which monks can pray and make sacrifices on behalf of dead ancestors or hungry ghosts. Today in Penang, Chinese believe the Hungry Ghosts must be appeased in order to get good fortune and luck in their lives so they set out food and entertain them. An array of food is offered, puppet shows and street operas are performed on many makeshift altars and stages along the roads in George Town. Prayers are offered to the dead and offerings of food such as chicken, vegetables, fruits, bean curd, white rice, bowls of noodles, sweetmeats, cakes and other treats are placed at street corners and along roadsides to appease the spirits. You will find food offerings on street corners all over Penang during the Hungry Ghosts Month. The Chinese leave these offerings to discourage the Ghosts from entering their homes and causing trouble or bringing bad luck. Shrines are filled with offerings to the dead, Hell money is burned to provide ancestors with means to purchase comforts. The Chinese also burn paper houses, Hell passports and Hell airline tickets, paper television sets and paper cars such as BMW�s to give to their dead relatives. Some families feel that these offerings reach the ghosts and help them live comfortably in the afterlife. During the "Hungry Ghost Month" children and young toddlers are kept inside, especially at night, for fear of them being led away by the �Hungry Ghosts�. Having a wedding or moving house is considered bad luck and going to the beach and swimming is discouraged because many tragedies have taken place in the sea, and evil ghosts may be eager to take more lives! The 30th day of the seventh moon is the last day of the festival. At midnight, the ghosts return to Hell and the gates are shut after them. Paper offerings and other goods are burnt in a giant bonfire as a final gift. Written by Suzette Toms Suzette is a New Zealander living in Penang. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Communications and contributes to a local Expatriate magazine as a writer and now as editor. .

Taken from http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/article.cfm?id=78

Lots of incense everyway, at every void deck, almost like having a haze...