Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival falls on the last Sunday. Mom and I didn't went back hometown, so mom decided to go over to Uncle Ken's (mom's brother) place to stay overnight. She said she was scared to stay alone with me in this festival (stupid mom) ... The chinese believe that WE, DOGS, have the ablility to see those spirit... and these few days, I often wake up in a very sudden in the middle of the night and dashed to the wooden door in the kitchen and bark furiously, scratching the door, with all my furs straight up!! Mom don't want to see this happen on the exact night of this festival, so she decided to go over to Uncle Ken's house where there will be more people accompany her and I of course!!
Mom found the description for this festival in Wikipedia, so she decided to copy it here and share with my pals over here...
The Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday, which is celebrated by Chinese in many countries. In the Chinese calendar (a lunisolar calendar), the Ghost Festival is on the 14th night of the seventh lunar month.
In
Chinese tradition, the thirteen day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower world. During the Qingming Festival the living descendants pay homage to their ancestors and on Ghost Day the deceased visit the living. On the thirteen day the three realms of Heaven, Hell and the realm of the living are open and the Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Intrinsic to the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their deaths. Activities during the month would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning of hell money and bags containing cloth to pay homage to the visiting spirits of the ancestors, treating the deceased as if they are still living. Elaborate meals would be served with empty seats for each of the deceased in the family. Other festivities may include, burying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies giving directions to the lost ghosts and spirits of the ancestors and other deities.

22 comments:

Asta said...

Hi Goofy
That sounds scawy..no ghosts visited us, is it cause I'm not chinese??awe you OK??I hope your Mom isn't upset
smoochie kisses
Asta

Juno said...

Hello Goofy, I want to believe that you're ok but we're not so ready to hear that scary thing. You're ok, right???? :)

Momo xoxoxoxoxo (extra kisses and hugs)

Amber-Mae said...

Oh man, that sounds scawie. But on since Sunday, nothing happened to us at all. We wanted to offer some food to the hungry ghosts but had non to offer. But we still played fetch at night, we were not scared at all. Saw some delicious food & biscuits being offered to the ghosts. And I almost grabbed the fish bones! But my hooman stopped me in time. Heehee!

Love licks,
Solid Gold Dancer

Girl Girl Hamster said...

That sounds scary. Eil is so glad that I can't bark.


~ Girl girl

Boo Casanova said...

goofy, u woke up in the middle of the nite to bark huh? mom and dad didn't even know when is the actual day lah. LOL

wet wet licks

Boo

bosco said...

hi goofy. found you through DWB. let's be friends. do visit me at imbosco.wordpress.com

anyways, just wanna say, bosco had been barking at nights. my humans let me stay in the room now.

Anonymous said...

Wow you saw ghosts Goofy!!

River

Oscar's mummy and daddy said...

That was interesting to read. I can understand why mum was feeling a bit spooked though!

Katy xxx

Oscar said...

Goofy, I don't blame your mom for not wanting to stay be herself during this festival. It sounds kind of scary and I know my mommy would be scared because she is a HUGE scardy pants. THe other night she screamed in the middle of the night because her eyes hadn't quite adjusted to the light and she thought she saw the shape of a human body. She's so dumb!
But, this sounds pretty scary. I hope you mommy doesn't stay by herself and don't go chasing ghosts to make her scared!

Lorenza said...

Hi, Goofy
Did you really see ghosts?? Tht is scary!!
Here, on Nov. 2th., (my birtdhay) we celebrate our Dia de Muertos (Deads Day) and is pretty similar to that you have there. People go to the cemetery and leave food and the favourite things of the deads at their tumbs.
Lorenza

Stanley said...

Goofy Boy!

How many ghosts did you see? It doesn't sound like you were scared of any of them. I hope you got to eat some of that great food (it would make the ghost sitings worth it). Hope your mama is ok.

My girl used to celebrate this festival when she used to live in China. She misses all those celebrations!

Goober love,
ni de pengyou,
Stanley

Ferndoggle said...

I've seen ghosts in our house. It's 100 years old & Mom is convinced we have one b/c I always alert her to strange sounds.

Sherman

Russell said...

hey Goof,

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

You have a pretty nice setup here. I am going to have to stop by often

Russell

Sophie Brador said...

If we had a ghost, it would be a friendly ghost who would bring me lots of treats and stuffed toys and tennis balls. I hope you have a nice time at your uncle's house.

Balboa said...

oh man that sounds very scary, if that was me I would be terrified. But I bet you are very brave and wouldn't let any ghosts in the house.

Frenchie SNorts
Balboa

Kien said...

Hi Goofy..

Me no scare of ghost.. if i see one.. i just bark at them.. till they go away.. let me bark for u here.. those ghost can hear me.. shoosh..shoosh.. leave my goofy friend alone..

Hope u have a good night sleep now..

Cheers
Golden Rossi

PreciOus said...

Oh Goofy, that is soo spooky! My sista is especially timid during this festival too. She gets scare by my every barks. Geez. Luckily got Kor to accompany her.

Snuggle,
Precious

Amber said...

Hey Goofy,I bet my mommy will freak out too if I did that. The ghost festival is finally over.

e said...

Hey Goofy
HOw are you doing?
Hungry ghosts festival is cool but the ashes can get really bad for our air and respiratory problems.
Fei sometimes barks at nothing too. But it's probably a sound that we can't even hear.

Fei

Yuki n Joyce said...

hey Goofy, you know i think sometimes i ccan see ghosts. cause sometimes i bark at thin air....scaryy

Yuki

Huskee and Hershey said...

Hi Goofy,
You must remember to say'excuse me' when you pee pee outside during the 7th month ok?

Ume said...

oooohhh... it muz be a hungry ghost, scavenging for food in your kitchen!