Ghost Festival

The Ghost Festival, also known as Zhongyuan or Yulanpen Festival, is observed on the 15th day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunisolar calendar across East and Southeast Asia. Families honor ancestors and wandering spirits with food offerings, incense, and lanterns, believing the realms of the living and the dead are open on this night.

• Held on the 15th day of the seventh Chinese lunar month
• Families burn joss paper and offer food to spirits
• Lanterns are floated on rivers to guide lost souls
• Public performances leave front rows empty for ghosts
• Observed in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and more

What it is

The Ghost Festival is a time when many in East and Southeast Asia believe the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead are open. On this night, spirits—including ancestors and restless ghosts—are thought to visit the living. People mark the occasion by preparing offerings and performing rituals to bring comfort to these spirits and to seek protection from misfortune. The festival is rooted in Buddhist, Taoist, and folk traditions, and is seen as an expression of filial piety and respect for those who have passed away. It is distinct from other ancestor observances in that it honors not only family ancestors but also all wandering souls.

Where it comes from

The festival’s origins blend Buddhist and Taoist beliefs. In Buddhism, the story comes from the Yulanpen Sutra, where Maudgalyāyana seeks to help his mother, who has become a hungry ghost, by offering food to monks and transferring merit to the deceased. Taoist tradition connects the festival to the 'Three Yuan' theory, with the name 'Zhongyuan' becoming established during the Tang dynasty. The concept of hungry ghosts, or preta, reflects the idea of spirits suffering from unmet needs. Over time, these traditions merged, and the festival spread across Asia, taking on local forms and meanings.

How it is celebrated

Celebrations center on rituals to honor and appease spirits. Families prepare tables laden with food, sometimes leaving empty seats for the deceased. Offerings of incense and joss paper—symbolic money and goods—are burned to provide for ancestors and wandering ghosts in the afterlife. In many places, lanterns are set afloat on rivers to guide lost souls. Public performances, such as Chinese opera or modern Getai concerts, are staged with the front rows left empty for the spirits. Monks and priests conduct ceremonies to relieve suffering, often throwing rice or food to nourish all beings. The festival is marked by a sense of solemnity and generosity, as people seek to care for both their own ancestors and forgotten souls.

Joining in

Visitors can experience the Ghost Festival in cities across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and beyond. Main celebrations often take place at temples, in neighborhoods, or along rivers where lanterns are floated. Expect to see offerings on altars, lively nighttime performances, and streets filled with incense. It’s customary to observe respectfully, avoid sitting in the front rows at shows, and not disturb offerings. The atmosphere is both festive and reflective, as communities come together to remember the dead and support one another.

Sources and attribution

This page is Mela's own summary, written in new words. Its facts are drawn from the Wikipedia article Ghost Festival, whose text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Each photo is credited to its author beside it. For the full account, read the originals below.

Read more

• Ghost Festival on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data

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