Hungry ghost month

Picture from facebook

We’re now in the final stretch of this year's Chinese seventh lunar month, commonly known as the Hungry Ghosts Month. I realise I’ve rarely written about it, but then again, what more is there to say? Tradition holds that the gates of hell open from the first to the last day of the month, allowing ghostly wandering spirits to enter our world. We, the living, are expected to offer worship and food to our ancestors and, in doing so, also satisfy the hunger of these wandering spirits. This is usually done at home unless we choose to make offerings at the temple.

When we decide to honour our departed ancestors on a specific day, we start by informing the spirits on the eve that they’ll be invited to the house the next day. We also notify the door guardians to allow the spirits in when they arrive. On the day itself, my family offers fruits and sweetmeats, while others may prefer non-vegetarian offerings like chicken, duck, roast pork and soup. Regardless of the choice between vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, the worship involves laying out the food or fruits on a table behind joss-stick urns and candle holders. After encircling the lighted joss-sticks, two divination coins are tossed to determine whether the ancestors have arrived or finished their meal.

I place great importance on paying respects to the door guardians to allow the spirits of the ancestors into the house. There have been occasions when I’ve had to throw the divination coins more than 10 times in succession before getting a favourable result—either two heads or two tails is an unfavourable outcome—but after appealing again to the door guardians, I immediately get the desired head-and-tail combination. Coincidence? I don't really know, but it is a personal experience. After the worship is over, again seeking confirmation with the coins, mock money is typically burned, providing the ancestors with spending money for the year ahead. However, this year my family dispensed with this practice; preferring to keep everything simple. 

For public worship of the Phor Thor Ong, like in Bukit Mertajam, the send-off at the end of the worship is highlighted by the burning of the giant effigy itself. The great bonfire is accompanied by shouts of good luck and good fortune. Usually, there’s also an open-air traditional Chinese opera stage show opposite the effigy, lasting several days throughout the Phor Thor worship. Nowadays, this is often substituted with performances by modern singers, but regardless, the whole vicinity of the worship is filled with a cacophony of sound and jarring music that continues well into the night.

On every 14th day of the seventh lunar month, I’m expected to make a beeline to the Swee Cheok Tong for the annual worship. My vice-president would have taken all steps to prepare the non-vegetarian offerings and lay them out before the altars of the various deities in the Kongsi—God of Heaven (Thnee Kong), our resident deity Tai Tay Eah (Deity of Healing), Lo Chhia Kong, Tua Pek Kong (Deity of Prosperity), Kitchen God (Chhao Moo Kong) and Earth Deity (Tay Choo Kong)—as well as the Chor Ong (Grand Leader of our Ancestors) and the memorial tablets. The worship typically takes about 60 to 90 minutes, after which mock money is burnt as a send-off to the deities and ancestors. The foodstuff is then shared among the attending Trustees and Committee Members.

Burning the effigy of the Phor Thor Ong at a crossroad in Bukit Mertajam on the 15th day of the Chinese seventh lunar month (Picture from facebook)