A festival for wandering spirits

GEORGE TOWN: Thousands of Chinese households have prepared food offerings and held prayers at the start of the Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as Phor Tor.

The first day of the festival fell on Aug 16.

Among those taking part in this ritual was electronics company senior executive Kelly Lim, 36, who was burning “hell notes” at the compound of her flat in Macallum Street Ghaut at 7pm on Wednesday.

“I prepared food offerings for the spirits who are out on ‘holiday’ as the gates of hell open during the seventh lunar month. My parents used to be the ones doing this until they passed away two years ago, and I took over.

“On Aug 30, on the peak of the festival, I will visit the columbarium in Paya Terubong where my parents’ ashes are kept, to pray and offer them their favourite food,” she said.

For boba tea seller Sze Lee Feng, 30, food offerings and prayers are an annual affair for her family.

“Usually, my mother handles this task, but since she was busy on that day, I stepped in to take over for her. I brought along my 13-year-old daughter and a friend to help me,” she said.

Called Yu Lan in Mandarin or Phor Thor in Hokkien, the festival is held every year during the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

According to Chinese beliefs, the spirits enjoy a month-long vacation in the human world when the gates of hell open.

It is an age-old tradition to have Chinese opera performances, puppet shows and kotai (stage shows) to entertain the community and wandering spirits during the festival to ensure a peaceful and prosperous year.

Benches and chairs are even arranged for the spirits to sit and enjoy such shows. The first few rows are left unoccupied as these seats are specially reserved for the spirits.

Meanwhile, Teong Guan Association chairman Datuk Jessen Ang said it aims to raise RM2mil during the Hungry Ghost Festival for schools.

“We are starting this aid programme again after we raised RM2.5mil for SRJK (C) Chung Hwa 2 on the mainland last year,” he said, adding that the association not only dispenses aid to schools but also runs tuition centres for the poor on the Penang mainland.