Even if you aren’t Chinese, odds are you’ve heard about the 7th month, which also marks the Hungry Ghost Festival. You’ll smell that special day’s arrival before you even hear about it – the lingering scent of burning joss paper and incense is a sure giveaway.
Some may know it as their ah gong ah ma’s tradition, or maybe you don’t have a clue about what a hungry ghost even is. We’ve put together a handy guide to the Hungry Ghost Festival, so you’ll know exactly what’s going on when the 7th month rolls around.
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Image credit: Visit Singapore
The 7th month officially starts on 23rd August and ends on 21st September this year, with the actual Hungry Ghost Festival falling on 6th September 2025. It’s believed that during this entire month, the gates of hell open, and ghosts and spirits pay a visit to earth to have some lovely time off from purgatory.
Over the weeks, you’ll see rituals and performances being held. The tradition is practised by Buddhist and Taoist devotees to honour their ancestors and to keep any wandering, vengeful spirits on their good side.
Offerings are a big thing during the 7th month. They mainly accomplish 3 things: to pay respect to ancestors, to ward off bad luck and negative influence during this ghostly time, and to appease wandering spirits – especially those with no family members to look out for them. It’s a bit like that poor forgotten father from Disney’s Coco, IYKYK.
Yep, it’s not some cheeky play on words. It’s believed that ghosts aren’t allowed to eat while they’re in hell, so food offerings are usually left on sidewalks for wandering spirits to enjoy, in exchange for spiritual protection. The menu includes baos, cakes, fruits, and traditional sweets.
Food offerings are extremely sacred – you wouldn’t want to offend any starving spirits with empty plates. Although TBH, I wouldn’t blame the ghosts for getting mad if there weren’t any food offerings. If my time off from hell still meant empty plates, I’d probably throw a tantrum too.
Not all ghosts rock the long white dress and blood-smear look.
Nope, some are believed to be ancestors coming to visit during their time off from the afterlife – think of them as checking on family, balik kampong style.
Most of them are just hungry and are said to be satisfied with the food offerings laid out for them. But hell obviously isn’t a Jet2 holiday, so some ghosts who return to earth still suffer from its torments, leading them to be “evil” during their vacation – another good reason not to wander about after dark during the 7th month.
You might also want to check out these things to avoid doing during the 7th month to stay safe and avoid making any supernatural faux pas.
If your ah ma happened to cook your ancestor’s favourite roasted pork, don’t be tempted to sneak a bite – it’s meant solely for them.
But some believers may perform pua puay, a ritual that involves tossing 2 coins or 2 red pieces of wood shaped like crescents, to ask if the ghosts are done with their food. Depending on the outcome of the toss, it would indicate a “yes” or “no”, after which the food may be shared.
However, the food usually goes uneaten since it’s been left exposed to incense for a while, and some would prefer not to eat food that’s been left on the ground.
Paper offerings don’t mean your standard A4 printed paper – they come in all forms: paper money, paper houses, paper cars, and even paper clothes. You name it, there’s probably a paper version of it.
Apparently, capitalism is still a thing in the underworld. Don’t be surprised if you see McDonald’s-inspired paper offerings being sold at your local joss paper shop. There are even unique kim zua items like Louis Vuitton bags and Apple MacBooks. I’d say it’s only a matter of time before Labubu paper offerings are on the shelves.
These offerings actually serve a practical purpose. They’re usually burnt in the large metal cages you see around your neighbourhood, and once reduced to ashes, they’re believed to be transported to the afterlife for the deceased to use.
Image credit: Kokkai Ng via Flickr
Tampering with offerings is a huge no-no. It’s widely believed that stepping on offerings – even if accidental – could offend a spirit. Some have reported experiencing random headaches and failing exams after messing with offerings, although I’m not sure if the latter is a case of attribution bias.
Be careful when walking on sidewalks since most offerings are made of paper and joss sticks, making it super easy for them to be blown away by the wind. If you happen to accidentally step on them, the polite thing to do is apologise – sincerely – and go on your merry way.
Image credit: Cultural Keys
Getai, which literally translates to “song stage” in Chinese, is one of the most popular activities during the Hungry Ghost Festival. They are live performances held during the 7th month as a form of entertainment to appease wandering spirits. These shows usually include Chinese opera, puppet shows, and live music sung in traditional dialect.
They first started during the Japanese Occupation as entertainment at amusement parks, and they’ve come a long way since then. These days, you might hear everything from “techno” renditions of Mandarin oldies to English pop and even K-pop bangers.
All are welcome to getais, regardless of religion and race. Just remember not to sit in the front row – they’re reserved for ghosts, this one really cannot chope.
Live bidding events are also another popular activity during the 7th month. Usually held in large yellow tents, they’re meant to raise funds for next year’s festivities.
Step inside and you’ll probably see a guy with a microphone auctioning off items blessed by monks, including oranges, wood barrels, and even charcoal, also known as “black gold” in Chinese culture.
Prices usually end with the number 8, which signifies good luck. Despite the ordinary items going for auction, they actually fetch quite a pretty penny.
While the Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated by both Taoists and Buddhists, their focus isn’t exactly the same.
Taoists tend to focus more on appeasing the wandering spirits from hell, which means performing rites, making food offerings, and visiting temples to repent for sins and ask for protection.
For Buddhists, the Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated as Yu Lan Pen, which refers to a container filled with offerings. Believers focus more on paying respect to ancestors and demonstrating filial piety through offerings and acts of devotion.
Image credit: Wikipedia
The origin of food offerings traces back to the story of Mu Lian, a disciple of Buddha, who tried to save his mother from hell. Some versions say he sent food to the afterlife, only for it to be gobbled up by hungry ghosts. Other versions are less lucky – the food turned into coals before his mother could even eat it.
In the end, Buddha taught Mu Lian the proper way to make special offerings of prayer and food, which eventually ended his mother’s suffering as a hungry ghost.
Image credit: r/WhatWouldYouBuild via Reddit
Another legend tells of the Dragon King of the Eastern Seas, who went against the King of Heaven and earned himself a death sentence. Emperor Tang promised to help him evade punishment, but failed.
After the Dragon King died, he visited Emperor Tang in a dream, blaming him for his fate as a wandering spirit. In response, the Emperor ordered all Buddhist and Taoist priests to offer prayers, food and drink for the Dragon King, marking the creation of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Beyond all the spooky ghost stories and superstitions, the Hungry Ghost Festival is just another way for believers to pay respects to their loved ones. It’s a sacred tradition that has been passed down from each generation to the next.
Don’t be fooled into thinking there’s no room for you as a non-Chinese or non-believer. Just grab a seat at the next getai – who knows, you may just find yourself jamming to APT with your fellow uncles and aunties (and a few invisible ones in the front row).
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Cover image adapted from: Wikimedia Commons
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