Friday 31 August 2012

The Festival I don't want to celebrate

--- Don't go out at night
--- Don't stay over night
--- Don't lean on any wall
--- Don't pick up any coin on streets
--- Don't let the others call your name at night
--- --- ---

Food offered to ancestors by their relatives in the temple
The hell bank notes are burned to send to ancestors
Today, all elders at home will warn every family members seriously before they go out in the morning in China. You may think "How can we not celebrate tonight? It is Friday Night!". Unfortunately, according to Chinese calender, today, it is the 15th day of the 7th lunar month which is called The Ghost Day. Yes, in Chinese tradition, we believe that the gates of Hell will open up at midnight and ghosts are free to roam the earth where they seek food and entertainment. These ghosts are believed to be ancestors of those who forgot to pay tribute to them after they died, or those who were never given a proper ritual send-off. They have long needle-thin necks because they have not been fed by their family, or as a punishment so that they are unable to swallow. In general, they are all unhappy ghosts. The most important thing is they love to follow or attach themselves on somebody who is awake until late night because the living spirits are weak which it is easy for them to attack. Some of them may only want to play around and have fun, anyway it is concerned as a very bad luck. When I was small, my grandma used to say that ghosts love to take kids to the hell and play with them. You may understand that it is better to avoid night life, but why you could not lean on the wall and pick up any coin on streets? --- The reason is simple. Ghosts normally sleep on walls. The coins on streets actually are left by Ghosts in order to corrupt officers from Hell to let them stay longer on the earth.

Even though I am not in China, I think it is better to follow the traditions. It is quite late here. Believe or not, I am going to bed NOW!





The word for Today:

Zhou Mo Yu Kuai

周    末   愉  å¿«

 Happy Weekend!

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