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Yu Lan Jei (hungry ghost festival) 盂蘭節

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The Chinese believe the the 7th lunar month of each year is ghost month "鬼月", for the whole month the gates of hell are opened for the spirits come out to visit the living. The middle of the month (14th)is known as Yu lan jei or hungry ghost festival (盂蘭節).

Celebrated by Chinese the world over, the current Yu Lan Jei is a mixture of Buddhism , Taoism , superstition and ancestral worship.

This is a time for ancestral worship where offerings of food, joss sticks and paper offerings(金纸) are burned by families in a act of filial piety (respect for one's ancestors).

Some of these Hungry ghosts have no descendants, did not receive a proper ritual send-off or are considered the worse offenders and may come back angry and hungry. Some say some of these wondering spirits come back looking for souls to take there place in the lower realms. To avoid these wandering spirits disturbing the living and bring bad luck or misfortune to families and communities offerings are made to them on the streets (燒街衣) to appease them. Some communities put on opera and singing shows in make shift bamboo canopy tents set up in public areas to help entertain the living and deceased.

During this month the Chinese would refrain from staying out late at night so as to not encounter ghosts, staying away from water activities for fear of those who died in the water pulling them down, some even put off weddings, doing business, flying and even driving at night.

 

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Both Buddhists and Taoists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased, to Buddhist the festival is known as Ullambana, Yulan Jie (盂蘭盆). Buddhist offer prayers on the 15th of the 7th lunar month to deceased ancestors and wandering spirits to help them in their rebirth in higher realms.

To Taoist it is known as Zhong Yuan Jie (中元節) which dates back to the Liang Dynasty in 502 AD, on the 14th of the 7th lunar calendar the gates are open fullest. Taoist would perform rituals and make offerings of food ,burn incense and fake ghost money to help appease wandering spirits.

On the final day of the festival lotus shaped lanterns are lit to help guide spirits back to the lower realms.

The origins of Yu Lan Jei is said to be based on the Buddhist scripture Ullambana sutra (盂蘭盆經 - see below), originally in China Taoist would celebrate Zhong Yuan Jie (中元節) . When Buddhism was introduced into china the Ullambana sutra (盂蘭盆經) became intermixed with Zhong Yuan Jie (中元節) and became Yu Lan Jei or Yu Lan Pen (Chinese pronunciation of Ullambana ) evolving into today's version of Yu Lan Jei.

Regardless of its origins the festival is deeply embedded in Chinese culture celebrating filial piety and appeasing those wandering spirits.

 

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Ullambana Sutra , Yulan Jie, 盂蘭盆

The background story told of Mogallana (Mu Lian 目連), saving his mother,

"One day, while looking at the realm of hungry ghosts with his vision, Mogallana saw his mother suffering there. He was very sad. So, with the help of his miraculous power, the filial Mogallana provided a bowl of rice for his mother. However, when the rice reached his mother's hands, it turned into charcoal and could not be eaten. Upon seeing that, Mogallana could not help but cried sadly. Though he could tell what caused the ghosts to receive their retribution, he could not explain his mother's suffering. So he immediately went to ask the Buddha.

Buddha said compassionately, "Mogallana, your mother had in her previous life, slandered the Buddha and the Sangha. Moreover, she did not believe in retribution and had been greedy and hot-tempered. That is why she is receiving such a retribution. The reason why you do not know your mother's karma is that your miraculous power has been hindered by the love between mother and son!"

"Lord Buddha, is there any way to help my mother get out of the realm of hungry ghosts?" Mogallana asked earnestly.

"Mogallana, you cannot save you mother on your own because her bad karma is very serious. The only way is to rely on the miraculous powers of the holy monks to help her free from the suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts.

"The fifteenth of the seventh lunar month every year is the last day of summer retreat for all monks and many of them will have attained enlightenment by then. If one makes elaborate offerings to all holy monks on this day, he can rely on their united efforts to release his parents and relatives from the woeful states. If his parents are alive, they will live a longer and happier life."

The delighted Mogallana carried out Buddha's instructions and made offerings to all monks on the last day of summer retreat. True enough, his mother was immediately freed from her suffering. He was very grateful to Buddha and praised the beneficence of the Triple Gem. He also urged people to make offerings to Buddha and Sangha on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month to repay the kindness of their parents. And this is the origin of the Ullambana Festival.

Mogallana was noted not only for his great supernatural powers but also for his filial piety!"

 

Yu Lan Jei (盂蘭盆) is celebrated the world over.

Singapore and Malaysia

Concert-like performances are a prominent feature of the Ghost Festival in Singapore and Malaysia. Those live shows are popularly known as 'Koh-tai' by Hokkien-speaking people. They are performed by groups of singers, dancers and entertainers on a temporary stage that is set up within a residential district. The festival is funded by the residents of each individual district.

Taiwan

Traditionally, it is believed that ghosts haunt the island of Taiwan for the entire seventh lunar month, when the mid-summer Ghost Festival is held.The month is known as Ghost Month.The first day of the month is marked by opening the gate of a temple, symbolizing the gates of hell. On the twelfth day, lamps on the main altar are lit. On the thirteenth day, a procession of lanterns is held. On the fourteenth day, a parade is held for releasing water lanterns. Incense and food are offered to the spirits to avoid them visiting homes and spirit paper money is also burnt as an offering.It is important that addresses are not revealed to the ghosts.

Japan

Chūgen (中元), also Ochūgen (お中元), is an annual event in Japan on July 15, when people give gifts to their superiors and acquaintances. One of the three days that form the sangen (三元?) of Daoism, it is sometimes considered a Zassetsu in the Japanese calendar. Originally it was an annual event for giving gifts to the ancestral spirits. O-bon, or simply Bon, is the Japanese version of the Ghost Festival. It has since been transformed over time into a family reunion holiday during which people from the big cities return to their home towns and visit and clean their ancestors' graves. Traditionally including a dance festival, it has existed in Japan for more than 500 years. It is held from of July 13 to 16, ("Welcoming Obon" and "Farewell Obon" respectively) in the eastern part of Japan (Kantō), and in August in the western part (Kansai).

Vietnam

This festival is viewed as the time for the pardoning of condemned souls who are then released from hell. The "homeless" should be "fed" and appeased with offerings of food. Merits for the living are also earned by the release of birds and fish. Influenced by Buddhism, this holiday coincides with Vu Lan,the Vietnamese transliteration for Ullambana. In modern times, Vu Lan is also seen as Mother's Day. People with living mothers would give thanks while those without would attend services to pray for the deceased.

Disclaimer:

All Information and pictures used in this article was gathered from various sources on the internet.It is not the intention of this website to infringe on others copyright but provide information for all to share.

 

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