The Ghost Festival, or Zhongyuan Pudu, marks the middle of Ghost Month in Taiwan. TaiwanPlus explains why the festival is such a big deal in the country.
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00:00It's Ghost Month in Taiwan. It's a time when the gates of the underworld are believed
00:05to open, allowing ghostly spirits to wander the mortal realm. Ghost Month is observed
00:11throughout the seventh month of the lunar calendar, and on the 15th day of the month,
00:15which falls on Sunday this year, marks Ghost Festival, or ä¸å…ƒæ™®æ¸¡.
00:20But Ghost Festival doesn't necessarily have to be celebrated on the 15th. One temple official
00:26says it's more of a rule of thumb, and people observe the occasion at different times throughout
00:31the month.
00:40During Ghost Month, people honor the spirits of those who have no descendants or don't
00:45have anyone to pay tribute to them. Without worship or offerings, these spirits grow hungry
00:51and restless, potentially wreaking havoc on mortals.
00:55During ä¸å…ƒæ™®æ¸¡, a massive feast is held for the lost souls. Food and drink are laid
01:00out for the ghosts on massive offering tables, while people also burn joss paper to appease
01:06the spirits to keep them at bay and ward off bad luck.
01:16Ghost Festival marks the halfway point of Ghost Month. Temples, companies, and households
01:21will carry out these rituals to ensure they get through the second half smoothly.
01:41And each place might do it a little differently than others.
01:52The festivities show just how seriously people in Taiwan take the occasion, making sure ghosts
01:57are fed and not causing any trouble.
02:00Scott Huang and Leslie Liao in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.