TiT Festivals:A Carnival for Ghosts

A Carnival for Ghosts

By Cliff Vost Photos by Sung Chih-hsiung

For the Chinese, the entire seventh month of the lunar calendar is a month for ghosts. On the first day of this month the gates of Hades open and the spirits of the dead (which the living, out of a mixture of reverence and fear, refer to as "good buddies") issue forth to roam the world of the living. To avoid any havoc which the ghosts may cause, during this month the living try their best to abjure important activities and events which can be postponed or done beforehand--no house moving, no weddings, no opening of shops, no starting of projects, no swimming (lest the unlucky swimmer be pulled under by water ghosts looking for substitute souls), no reckless driving (a good idea any time).

burning sacrificial money for water ghosts Appeasing Wandering Spirits
Everything possible is done to appease the wandering spirits during this month and ntertained, prayed to, and bought off with sumptuous banquets, operas, parades, chanting, and the burning of paper sacrificial money. Many of these activities are centered on temples, where tall bamboo poles are erected to invite and guide the ghosts--especially the "lonely ghosts" that have no living descendants to care for them--to the feasting and revelry. Lanterns are released on rivers, lakes, and the sea to light the way for water ghosts, the spirits of those who have drowned. Huge displays of sacrifices are placed in the yards or outside the front doors of private homes and business establishments. Ghost month activities reach a climax on the 15th day, the date of the Taoist Chungyuan Festival.

Buddhist and Taoist Celebrations
The Buddhists celebrate this date as Yulanpen, a transliteration of the Sanskrit word Ullambhana, meaning "deliverance." This tradition dates from the story of Mulien, a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha. Hearing that his mother was suffering among the hungry ghosts in Hades, Mulien hurried to her side and tried to alleviate her hunger; all the food he offered, however, turned to flames as soon as it touched her lips. The dutiful son asked his master for help and was told that his mother's sins were of such magnitude that Mulien could never hope to expiate them by his power alone. Only by using his mother's wealth to dispense bowls of food and other daily necessities to the clergy, the needy, and the spirits of the dead, and by the combined chanting of large numbers of monks, could she escape her torment. This Mulien did, and his mother was delivered. Mulien's efforts are repeated symbolically in temples all over Taiwan every year at this time.

Also, according to Buddhist scriptures, the middle of the seventh lunar month marks the end of the 90-day training period traditionally required of monks and nuns. The Yulanpen celebration is held to improve their karma.

In Mandarin Chinese, Yulanpen goes by the name "Putu," meaning something like "general deliverance." Since many Chinese patronize both Buddhist and Taoist temples--indeed, they sometimes find it hard to distinguish between the two--they celebrate both Chungyuan and Putu.

These two events give celebrants a chance to feast together with relatives and friends as they consume the very food and drink that has been offered to the ghosts (which partake only of its spiritual essence).

Banners flown during Ghost Month beckon the spirits(letf); These young girls concentrate while putting final touches on their lotus flower water lanterns.(right) Blending Modern Art with Traditional Ritual
In the spring of 1992, Sissy Chen, a prominent social and political activist in Taiwan, and three friends returned from study in the United States with the idea of initiating an art festival on the island. As the theme of the festivals, they chose Chungyuan and Putu because of their popularity and native character. The result was the 1992 Taipei County Chungyuan and Putu Religious Art Festival, a "ghost carnival" in which over 60 artists and scores of volunteers participated--it was a huge success. That initial art festival, and the ones that have followed, have revitalized old customs, blended modern art with traditional ritual, and extended the Chungyuan and Putu celebrations to wider audiences.

The fifth of these festivals was held on August 23rd-25th in the town of Luchou on the banks of the Tamsui River. Its theme: "People and Ghosts Having Fun Together." The location was richly decorated in colorful ghost-oriented designs, with scores of floodlights and a a powerful audio system enhancing the festivities. Folk arts booths sold traditional souvenirs, toys, handicrafts, and snacks, among other things. Water lanterns, made by modern artists from bamboo strips and used paper, were first displayed and then launched in a traditional ritual accompanied by modern drum and flute music. Among the modern dances performed there was "dance of egrets," which reminded the audience that Luchou was once the home of egrets and other birds. There were also traditional lion and drum dances; the most significant moment of the entire ghost carnival came when the Presbyterian church, for the first time, commemorated the spirits of the dead with sermons and hymns--harmoniously bringing together the Taoist, Buddhist, and Christian religions. The festival created an atmosphere in which humans, spirits, and mother nature celebrated together.
Copyright 1995 Vision International Publishing Co.