幸会幸会, It is a great honour to have you join us on the journey to discover and explore the 5000 years old Chinese Culture, History, Literature and Martial Arts.
Our club 星洲国术 (Pinyin : Xing Zhou Guo Shu) is a Chinese Culture, Martial Arts and Kickboxing Appreciation Group in Singapore.
Our club 星洲国术 (Pinyin : Xing Zhou Guo Shu) is a Chinese Culture, Martial Arts and Kickboxing Appreciation Group in Singapore.
Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival
The 15th day of the 7th month in the Chinese lunar calendar is known in the West as the “Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival” but to the Chinese it is either known as Zhong Yuan Jie 中元节, Qi Yue 七月 or Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节. This festival is mainly observed by Chinese in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southern China. In Singapore, this festival is observed throughout the entire month, during this period, Chinese of the Taoist, Shenist and Buddhist faith will do charitable deeds, worship their ancestors, make offerings to the wandering spirits etc. Although this festival had derived from Chinese religions, it is also widely celebrated among the Chinese freethinkers because it promotes the moral concepts of Xiao 孝 (Filial Piety) and Ren 仁 (Philanthropy).
On the 15th day of the 7th lunar month many Taoist 道教, Shenist 民间信仰 and Chinese Mahayana Buddhist 汉传佛教 temples will perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased, but technically they are not performing the same ritual or observing the same festival.
Rituals on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month can be dated back to China’s Han Dynasty 汉朝 after Emperor Han Wu Di 汉武帝 (157BC - 87BC) standardized the Chinese lunar calendar. Historical records show that the early era’s rituals were carried out by the commoners, whereby the ancient Chinese farmers would visit their ancestors’ graves and use their summer harvest to worship the ancestors. With the popularization of the Taoist and Buddhist faith in Tang Dynasty 唐朝 (618 - 907AD), rituals carried out by the temples to help the wandering spirits and the ancestors began to formalized.
On the 15th day of the 7th lunar month many Taoist 道教, Shenist 民间信仰 and Chinese Mahayana Buddhist 汉传佛教 temples will perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased, but technically they are not performing the same ritual or observing the same festival.
Rituals on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month can be dated back to China’s Han Dynasty 汉朝 after Emperor Han Wu Di 汉武帝 (157BC - 87BC) standardized the Chinese lunar calendar. Historical records show that the early era’s rituals were carried out by the commoners, whereby the ancient Chinese farmers would visit their ancestors’ graves and use their summer harvest to worship the ancestors. With the popularization of the Taoist and Buddhist faith in Tang Dynasty 唐朝 (618 - 907AD), rituals carried out by the temples to help the wandering spirits and the ancestors began to formalized.
|
Zhong Yuan Jie 中元节
According to Taoist beliefs, the fate of mankind is controlled by three deities: Tian Guan Da Di 天官大帝, ruler of heaven, who grants happiness; Di Guan Da Di 地官大帝, ruler of earth, who pardons sins; and Shui Guan Da Di 水官大帝, ruler of water, who alleviates dangers.
Shang Yuan Jie 上元节, which falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, and Xia Yuan Jie 下元节 on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, are the birthdays of the rulers of heaven and water respectively. The 15th day of the 7th lunar month, is the birthday of Di Guan Da Di 地官大帝, who descends to earth on this day to pardons sins for both the spirits and humans. The birthday of Di Guan Da Di 地官大帝 is also known as Zhong Yuan Jie 中元节 or Zhong Yuan Festival. Traditionally on Zhong Yuan Jie 中元节, Taoist Priests will perform rites in Taoist Temples known as Pu Du 普渡, to welcome Di Guan Da Di 地官大帝 and make food offerings to the wandering spirits. While the spirits are taking the food offerings, the Taoist Priests will chant or read out scriptures to educate the spirits into repenting. It is said that for the spirits who have truly shown repentance for their sins and taken only the non-meat food offerings they will be pardoned by Di Guan Da Di 地官大帝. On Zhong Yuan Jie 中元节 Taoist and Shenist devotees will also visit temples to repent their sins, as well as pray for happiness and avoidance of disasters. |
Seventh Month 七月
According to Shenist Mythologies. It is believed that from the 1st to 14th day of the 7th lunar month the Gates of the Yin World 阴界 are open in sequence to allow the spirits to visit the Yang World 阳界 (The World Of The living). During the late hours on the 14th day of the 7th lunar month the last and biggest gate will be opened, known as Gui Men Guan Da Kai 鬼门关大开, and countless spirits will rush out to heavily populated areas. It is said that the spirits are accompanied by the Gui Chai 鬼差 who are the constables of the Yin World 阴界 and the Gui Chai 鬼差 will punish any spirit who misbehaves in the Yang World 阳界.
The spirits can spend their time in the Yang World 阳界 visiting their families, feasting, seek help to release them from suffering etc. The 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the best day which humans can help the spirits by directing them to seek help from the Buddha, Bodhisattvas or Deities. After the 15th day of the 7th month the spirits will return to the Yin World 阴界 in batches, by last day of the 7th lunar month all the spirits that belonged to Yin World 阴界 should return to where they came from.
In Singapore, Shenists will respectfully address the spirits from the Yin World 阴界 as Hao Xiong Di 好兄弟, which means Good Brothers. Throughout the entire 7th lunar month Shenists will burn incenses, light candles and give food offerings to the Good Brothers in public spaces to keep the them fed and entertained, many Shenists are also known to ask for blessings from the Good Brothers while giving the offerings. Shenists simply called the practice of keeping the Good Brothers fed and entertained during the 7th lunar month as Qi Yue 七月, which means Seventh Month.
For the Shenists there are 3 important days during the Qi Yue 七月 or Seventh Month, and these traditions have been carried out by the Shenists for over a thousand years since the Song Dynasty 宋朝 (960AD - 1279AD) :
The 1st day of the 7th lunar month is generally dedicated to honoring ancestors with offerings of food, incenses, candles, joss money, scriptures etc.
The 15th day of the 7th lunar month is when the Shenist Temples will set up sumptuous feasts to be offered to the Good Brothers. Through rituals carried out by the Shenist Fa Shi 法师 (Ritual Masters) or Miao Gong 庙公 (Temple Caretakers) Heavenly Deities will also be invited to the temples to help the Good Brothers.
The last day of 7th lunar month is when the Gates of Yin World 阴界 are closed again. The Fa Shi 法师 (Ritual Masters) and Miao Gong 庙公 (Temple Caretakers) will chant to inform the last of the lingering Good Brothers that it is time for them to return to the Yin World 阴界.
It is also a common practice for Shenist communities in Singapore to hold neighborhood Qi Yue 七月 or Seventh Month celebrations which typically include open-air mass prayers, dinners, auctions and stage performances. It is said that nearly 2/3 of the Chinese in Singapore lost their life during World War Two due to the heavy bombings in Chinese populated downtown areas and the purge of Sook Ching 肃清. According to the elders, these neighborhood Seventh Month celebrations began shortly after World War Two during the 1950s, as the older generation of Shenists wanted to help and give offerings to their relatives and neighborhood folks who lost their lives during the war. The term Hao Xiong Di 好兄弟 (Good Brothers) was adopted back then, as the older generation of Shenists viewed most of the spirits they were giving offerings to as familiar spirits.
During the Seventh Month celebration mass offerings are made to the Good Brothers. The offerings usually comprise food items such as rice, oil, canned food, fruits and Chinese pastries which are subsequently distribute in red buckets to the participants of the celebration. The auction of “auspicious objects”, ranging from religious items to liquor to appliances and porcelains, usually begins during the multi-course dinner for the participants. The proceeds from these auctions are used to fund the following year’s Seventh Month celebrations, as well as donations to temples and charitable organizations. Shenist Fa Shi 法师 (Ritual Masters) will be engaged to carried out rites in the celebration to invite Heavenly Deities to come help out those Good Brothers who are suffering. In addition, outdoor performances are held on makeshift stages with singers singing Chinese pop-songs to entertain both the Good Brothers and humans in the celebration, with the front row seats left empty for the Good Brothers.
The spirits can spend their time in the Yang World 阳界 visiting their families, feasting, seek help to release them from suffering etc. The 15th day of the 7th lunar month is the best day which humans can help the spirits by directing them to seek help from the Buddha, Bodhisattvas or Deities. After the 15th day of the 7th month the spirits will return to the Yin World 阴界 in batches, by last day of the 7th lunar month all the spirits that belonged to Yin World 阴界 should return to where they came from.
In Singapore, Shenists will respectfully address the spirits from the Yin World 阴界 as Hao Xiong Di 好兄弟, which means Good Brothers. Throughout the entire 7th lunar month Shenists will burn incenses, light candles and give food offerings to the Good Brothers in public spaces to keep the them fed and entertained, many Shenists are also known to ask for blessings from the Good Brothers while giving the offerings. Shenists simply called the practice of keeping the Good Brothers fed and entertained during the 7th lunar month as Qi Yue 七月, which means Seventh Month.
For the Shenists there are 3 important days during the Qi Yue 七月 or Seventh Month, and these traditions have been carried out by the Shenists for over a thousand years since the Song Dynasty 宋朝 (960AD - 1279AD) :
The 1st day of the 7th lunar month is generally dedicated to honoring ancestors with offerings of food, incenses, candles, joss money, scriptures etc.
The 15th day of the 7th lunar month is when the Shenist Temples will set up sumptuous feasts to be offered to the Good Brothers. Through rituals carried out by the Shenist Fa Shi 法师 (Ritual Masters) or Miao Gong 庙公 (Temple Caretakers) Heavenly Deities will also be invited to the temples to help the Good Brothers.
The last day of 7th lunar month is when the Gates of Yin World 阴界 are closed again. The Fa Shi 法师 (Ritual Masters) and Miao Gong 庙公 (Temple Caretakers) will chant to inform the last of the lingering Good Brothers that it is time for them to return to the Yin World 阴界.
It is also a common practice for Shenist communities in Singapore to hold neighborhood Qi Yue 七月 or Seventh Month celebrations which typically include open-air mass prayers, dinners, auctions and stage performances. It is said that nearly 2/3 of the Chinese in Singapore lost their life during World War Two due to the heavy bombings in Chinese populated downtown areas and the purge of Sook Ching 肃清. According to the elders, these neighborhood Seventh Month celebrations began shortly after World War Two during the 1950s, as the older generation of Shenists wanted to help and give offerings to their relatives and neighborhood folks who lost their lives during the war. The term Hao Xiong Di 好兄弟 (Good Brothers) was adopted back then, as the older generation of Shenists viewed most of the spirits they were giving offerings to as familiar spirits.
During the Seventh Month celebration mass offerings are made to the Good Brothers. The offerings usually comprise food items such as rice, oil, canned food, fruits and Chinese pastries which are subsequently distribute in red buckets to the participants of the celebration. The auction of “auspicious objects”, ranging from religious items to liquor to appliances and porcelains, usually begins during the multi-course dinner for the participants. The proceeds from these auctions are used to fund the following year’s Seventh Month celebrations, as well as donations to temples and charitable organizations. Shenist Fa Shi 法师 (Ritual Masters) will be engaged to carried out rites in the celebration to invite Heavenly Deities to come help out those Good Brothers who are suffering. In addition, outdoor performances are held on makeshift stages with singers singing Chinese pop-songs to entertain both the Good Brothers and humans in the celebration, with the front row seats left empty for the Good Brothers.
Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 Ullambana Festival
|
To the Chinese Mahayana Buddhists, the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is known as Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 (Ullambana Festival). According Chinese Mahayana Scriptures, Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 had originated from the stories of “Mu Lian Rescues His Mother 目连救母”, the attempts by Mu Lian 目连, a disciple of Buddha, to save his mother from torture in hell as a “Hungry Ghost”.
According to the scriptures, Mu Lian 目连 after gaining spiritual powers wanted to save his parents from their bad karma so as to repay their kindness. He searched with his heavenly eye power and found his mother fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts, starved to skin and bone, unable to take any food or drink. Mu Lian immediately filled a basin with rice and send it to his mother using his powers. To his surprise, as an effect of her evil karma, the food turned into ashes even before reaching her mouth. Out of desperation Mu Lian begged Buddha to help him rescue his mother. |
Buddha told Mu Lian 目连 that due to his mother’s heavy karma Mu Lian alone was not enough to save her. Mu Lian was then instructed by Buddha to offer food and gifts to monks and nuns at the time of their return from the summer retreat on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and do dedication of his merits to his mother. With the strengths of all the Sangha and the merit and virtue from such offering, he could then save his parents of the current life and seven lives past, and relatives from suffering.
Mu Lian 目连 followed Buddha’s instructions and was successful rescuing his mother from suffering as a hungry ghost. Today, the same ritual that Buddha instructed Mu Lian to do can be seen carried out in Chinese Mahayana Temples, whereby on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month a large variety of offerings are made to the Buddha and Sangha in aid of those suffering in all realms and as an act of filial piety for the ancestors. On this day many Buddhists and Shenists will go Chinese Mahayana temples to set up ancestral tablets, chant scriptures together with the monks, make donations and dedicate the merits to their ancestors, families and all beings.
Mu Lian 目连 followed Buddha’s instructions and was successful rescuing his mother from suffering as a hungry ghost. Today, the same ritual that Buddha instructed Mu Lian to do can be seen carried out in Chinese Mahayana Temples, whereby on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month a large variety of offerings are made to the Buddha and Sangha in aid of those suffering in all realms and as an act of filial piety for the ancestors. On this day many Buddhists and Shenists will go Chinese Mahayana temples to set up ancestral tablets, chant scriptures together with the monks, make donations and dedicate the merits to their ancestors, families and all beings.
|
* The Chinese word Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 had derived from the the Sanskrit word Ullambana. Ullambana means "deliverance from suffering," and specifically refers to the salvation of anguished souls in hell.
* Historical records show that Emperor Liang Wu Di 梁武帝 (464AD-549AD) of China’s Northern and Southern Dynasties Era 南北朝 was the first to hold the Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 (Ullambana Festival) ritual according to the Chinese Mahayana Scriptures. |
|