Historical Background
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is a traditional observance in several East and Southeast Asian cultures, known as the Zhongyuan Festival in Taoism and the Yulanpen Festival in Buddhism. Celebrated on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month (or the 14th in parts of southern China), this festival is a time when it is believed that the gates of the afterlife realms—Heaven, Hell, and the realm of the living—are open, allowing spirits, including deceased ancestors, to visit the living.
In Chinese culture, the seventh lunar month is called Ghost Month, with the fifteenth day specifically termed Ghost Day. During this period, the spirits of the deceased are thought to roam freely among the living. The festival is distinct from other Chinese ancestor veneration festivals such as the Qingming Festival and the Double Ninth Festival, as it focuses on paying respects to all deceased spirits, not just those of one's ancestors.
During the Ghost Festival, both Taoist and Buddhist rituals are performed to alleviate the suffering of the deceased. These rituals include preparing food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper—representations of material goods such as clothing and gold—intended for the visiting spirits. Elaborate vegetarian meals are often prepared, with empty seats set for the deceased as if they were still living. Additionally, activities such as releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water are conducted to guide lost spirits.
The origins of the Ghost Festival are deeply rooted in Chinese folk religion, Taoism, and Buddhism, with each tradition contributing to its development. In Taoism, the festival is linked to the "Three Yuan" theory, which represents the Three Great Emperor-Officials. The name "Zhongyuan" originates from this theory and gained prominence during the Tang dynasty when Taoism was favored by the rulers.
From a Buddhist perspective, the festival's roots can be traced to ancient India and the Mahayana scripture known as the Yulanpen or Ullambana Sutra. This text tells the story of Maudgalyayana, a disciple of the Buddha, who uses his spiritual powers to search for his deceased parents. Discovering his mother reborn as a hungry ghost, unable to eat due to her karmic suffering, Maudgalyayana seeks the Buddha's help. The Buddha advises offering food to the monastic community during the Pravarana festival, which coincides with the Ghost Festival, to transfer merits to the deceased.
Similar festivals exist in Theravadan Buddhist traditions in South and Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia's Pchum Ben, which are based on the Petavatthu, a text from the Pali Canon dating to the 3rd century BCE. These traditions also involve rituals to aid the spirits of deceased ancestors, reflecting the widespread cultural importance of ancestor veneration and the alleviation of suffering for the departed.
Portion of a scroll entitled Zhong Kui Traveling with his Sister, by Gong Kai (1222-1304), via Wikipedia
Themes and Symbols in the Zhongyuan Festival
The Zhongyuan Festival, also known as the Ghost Festival or Hungry Ghost Festival, is rich with themes and symbols that reflect its spiritual and cultural significance. Held during the seventh lunar month, the festival coincides with several important events such as the full moon, the fall harvest, and the peak of Buddhist monastic practices. These elements collectively symbolize the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, and underscore the festival's focus on ancestral veneration and the appeasement of wandering spirits.
The Opening of the Gates of Hell: One of the central themes of the Zhongyuan Festival is the belief that the gates of Hell are opened during the seventh lunar month, allowing spirits and ghosts to roam the earth. These spirits, often those of ancestors or individuals who died without descendants to honor them, are thought to be in a state of hunger and unrest. This theme underscores the importance of filial piety and the responsibility of the living to care for their deceased relatives to ensure their peace in the afterlife.
Offering Food and Joss Paper: To appease these hungry spirits, families prepare and offer food, along with burning joss paper—representations of money and other material goods. This practice symbolizes the provision of sustenance and comfort to the deceased, reflecting the idea that the needs of the spirit world mirror those of the living. The burning of joss paper is believed to send these offerings to the spirits, ensuring they are well provided for in the afterlife.
Feasts and Altars: Feasting is a prominent symbol of the festival. Elaborate meals are prepared and offered to the spirits at altars set up in homes or temples. Empty seats at these meals are left for the spirits, symbolizing their presence and continued inclusion in family life. These feasts not only provide for the spirits but also reinforce the bonds between the living and the dead.
Lotus Lanterns: Lighting and floating lotus-shaped lanterns on water is another significant practice. These lanterns guide lost souls back to the afterlife, symbolizing illumination and guidance. The act of setting these lanterns afloat represents the community’s effort to ensure that all spirits, especially those without descendants, find their way back to peace.
Public Performances: In modern observances, public performances such as Chinese opera, dramas, and Getai (song stages) are held to entertain both the living and the spirits. The first row of seats at these events is always left empty for the ghosts, highlighting the respect and accommodation extended to them. This practice symbolizes the communal effort to honor and appease all spirits, preventing misfortune and ensuring communal harmony.
Rituals and Ceremonies: Both Buddhist and Taoist rituals play a crucial role in the festival. Monks and priests conduct ceremonies to absolve the sufferings of the deceased, often throwing rice or small food items into the air to feed the spirits. These rituals symbolize the transfer of merit to the deceased, helping to alleviate their suffering and ensure their spiritual well-being.
Prosperity through Incense: Burning incense in front of homes is another key practice, symbolizing prosperity and reverence. Incense is believed to attract and please the spirits, with the rising smoke serving as a conduit between the living and the spirit world. This practice underscores the theme of continuous prosperity and the belief that honoring the spirits will bring blessings to the living.
Community and Protection: The festival is also marked by community gatherings and collective rituals to protect against wandering spirits. In some regions, water lanterns are floated fourteen days after the festival to ensure all spirits return to the underworld. This act of communal protection and guidance reinforces the festival’s themes of care, protection, and the maintenance of cosmic order.
In Contemporary Art
The Zhongyuan Festival's rich tapestry of themes and symbols has inspired various contemporary art forms, reflecting its enduring cultural resonance. Artists often explore the festival's motifs of ghostly visitors and ancestral veneration through modern mediums such as installation art, performance art, and digital media. These works frequently incorporate traditional elements like joss paper, lotus lanterns, and food offerings, reinterpreting them in innovative ways to comment on themes of memory, loss, and the afterlife. This blend of tradition and modernity in contemporary art highlights the festival's ongoing impact and its ability to evolve while preserving its core values.
Zhengyuan (Cooper) Gao, Awaiting Incarnation, 2022. Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, 60cm x 40cm
Awaiting Incarnation (2022) is an evocative acrylic on canvas painting by Chinese artist Zhengyuan (Cooper) Gao. This artwork, predominantly rendered in blue hues, portrays black silhouetted figures representing souls, highlighting their anticipation for reincarnation in a liminal space. Gao's use of blue evokes a sense of otherworldliness and tranquility, juxtaposed against the stark black figures, which symbolizes the ethereal and intangible nature of these souls. The painting's theme resonates deeply with the Zhongyuan Festival, which revolves around the belief in the temporary release of spirits from the underworld to visit the living. Just as the festival involves offering food to appease and honor these spirits, Gao's painting captures a moment of spiritual suspension and longing, reflecting the festival's themes of ancestral veneration and the cycle of life and death. Through this contemporary depiction, Gao bridges traditional Chinese beliefs with modern artistic expression, offering a poignant visual interpretation of the transient state of souls during the Zhongyuan Festival.
The Zhongyuan Festival, also known as the Ghost Festival or Hungry Ghost Festival, stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of cultural traditions and spiritual beliefs across East and Southeast Asia. Rooted in the honoring of ancestors and the alleviation of suffering for wandering spirits, this festival embodies themes of filial piety, community, and the cyclical nature of life and death. From its historical origins in Chinese folk religion, Taoism, and Buddhism to its contemporary expressions in art and public rituals, the Zhongyuan Festival continues to resonate with people, serving as a reminder of the enduring connections between the living and the deceased. Through the myriad of symbols and practices associated with the festival, it offers a profound reflection on the human experience, the passage of time, and the interconnectedness of the spiritual realm with our everyday lives. As artists continue to reinterpret its themes in contemporary artworks, the Zhongyuan Festival remains a vibrant and evolving celebration of cultural heritage and spiritual beliefs.
Selena Mattei