The Hungry Ghost Festival

Tonight is the last night of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar; the month is known as Ghost Month. During this month every year, the Gates of Hell are opened and all the ghosts are able to roam freely through the worlds of the living and the dead. This is a time for the Chinese to pay their respects to their deceased ancestors and support them in the afterlife. There is a belief that if respects are not paid, it is likely that something bad will happen to the family – an illness, a death, a misfortune, etc. No one wants that to happen.

In Labis, a three-night Hungry Ghost Festival was held in our dataran (town square). Food stalls were set up along the road side selling the standard snacks and drinks one can find almost anywhere. On opposite sides of the large Taoist Temple, two secondary schools’ Chinese Societies had set up little restaurants and were selling food and drinks as a fundraiser. SMK Labis, my school, was one, so I spent several hours of the three evenings chatting with my students when they were not busy with customers.


My students cooking!


My students preparing food for their customers

Every night, there were people burning incense and praying to the God in a makeshift shelter and burning paper money in an enclosed, yet raging, fire. At 8:30pm each night, a live music and dance show began on the stage. The volume was turned to the highest notch so everyone within a kilometer radius could hear the music. The performances were modern and, by many Malaysians’ standards, “too sexy,” as the women were wearing revealing clothing. Every night the performers were the same, and the songs very similar. It was all done in Chinese, so I could not understand it at all, but it was still fascinating to watch with the local Chinese families.

Additionally, on the other side of the square was a hand puppet show. On the second night, I watched with the mother of one of my students who graciously translated the story about a rich man and his interactions with the people in his town and the monk who lived at the temple in the hills. I was told by another student that not many people watch the puppet show because it is supposed to be for the ghosts. I’m not sure if that belief is held by many; regardless, the children sure enjoyed the show!


Dragon prayer sticks


Burning paper money


Festival prayer area

The third night of the festival was the largest night of all. The modern song and dance concert, the puppet show, the paper money burning, the prayers, the secondary school Chinese Society restaurants, and the food stalls continued as usual. However, there were several additions to the Hungry Ghost Festival. For the previous two nights, there were long tables set up near the area for prayers, but they remained empty. On this last night, the tables were filled to the brim with offerings to the ancestors – rice, fruits, roasted pigs, baked foods, coffee, etc. There were also communal offerings, namely two pigs and three goats – skinned and still uncooked – on display at the head of the tables. There was an ongoing auction – a golden pig sold for over RM3,000! – a drawing for bicycles and other items, and group prayers led by Taoist leaders.


The tables of offerings for the ancestors


The auction

After having dinner at my school’s restaurant with one of my teachers, I joined a group of my Lower Form 6 students who were not volunteering. Together, we walked around the festival, and they attempted to answer all of my many questions.


Post-dinner with my teacher and my incredible students

This festival took place halfway through the month. Tonight, the last night of the lunar month, many Chinese families throughout town could be seen giving one last offering of prayers, incense, and paper money to the memory of their ancestors. Tonight, the gate between the two worlds closes once again. Until next year.