7th Month is just round the corner (from my time here, another 4 hours to the Opening of Hell).

So do you think all Spirits will be released on this day? Actual fact, NO. In some believes, folks will always believe that on this day, no matter what type of Ghosts will be released into the Mortal World for food, money, etc, but i can NO NO.

Only a few types of Ghosts will be released:

1 Ghosts, spirits, etc, who have done a certain number of merits during their ex-life in the Mortal World

2 Being "savage" by certain Deities during the Rituals done on their death

3 Good Spirits that have not much evil records in Hell

4 Being given permission by the Yama King in Hell (in Taoism Context)

Eventhough all the categories above mentioned that they are allowed to be released, but not all being released at one time. Slowly and by batches.

Only until the 15th day of the Month, then all permission granted Spirits are fully being released from the Hell.

And during this day or the days after the Mid-month, more Rituals, Ceremonies are being organised or planned for the "Savaging" of the deaths.

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Ceremonies

"Savaging" Rituals or Ceremonies can be categories into 2 types:

1 Taoism

2 Buddhism

In Taoism, Masters of the Rituals will be chanting, sending requests to all the Deities in all the Realms for certain permissions to perform "savaging" on the death, whereas in Buddhism, chanting of Di Zang Scripture and Amitabha Scripture are being performed and follow by the "presenting of Food" to the Ghosts. Only after this Rituals, then the Ghosts are able to consume the Food that we, the Mortal, prepared for them.

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Offerings

So what are usually the Foods that Mortals prepared for them?

Here's the list for reference:

At big Ceremonies -

1 Big Roasted Pig
2 Roasted Chickens, ducks
3 Seafood
4 Fried items like mee, rice, vege
5 Beverage of beers, can drinks, chinese tea or wine
6 canned food, fruits
7 raw rice, beans
8 candies
9 fresh fruits
10 daily used products like towel, brushes, etc

At home -

1 cooked chicken, fish, duck, pork (portion)
2 rice cooked in a pot
3 small bowl of soup
4 fried beehoon or mee
5 canned food
6 fresh fruits

Eventhough all the items may look similar but at different places or occasions, they have different meanings.

One thing to take note is that, no matter what type of food you prepared for the praying, ALL parts of the food must retain, example: chicken, the cooked chicken must be in whole piece, the internal organs are to be placed at the side of the whole chicken. Why? Cos folks believed that, different Ghosts have different craving, once they are at your place and they cant find their favourite food, they will tend to produce a negative energy which may somehow caused unlucky.

And so to prevent such things from happening, we shall try to keep all the necessary food in "whole piece".

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During Praying

There are some Dos and Donts during the praying.

At home, try not to allowed children from running about, as this will somehow "banged" onto the Ghosts wandeing arounf in the home.

Never called out names, as you dont know which Ghosts might have the same name as you or your family members.

Try to avoid babies from the offering tables or so.

Never called out Ghosts (in chinese: Gui, Hun, Ling, etc) during the praying. In Chinese, we used some words to replace like: Hao Xiong Di (Good Brothers), Uncles (Shu Bo) or Men Wai Gong (Elderly from Outdoor).

Remember to place ONE incense on every offerings, this will indicate for the Ghosts that which is allowed for them and which is not.

Remember to place all joss-papers around the Offering table, this is a form of respect for the Ghosts.

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After the praying

Usually after the praying, we the Mortals, will tend to eat the offerings immediately, but actually this is not a good practise.

After the praying, try to shift the table (offering table or so) to a side, removed all urns, joss, etc, from the food.

Warmed the food, if cant, place them under sunlight or on the stove for while. Why must we do that? This practise is to get rid of the "energy" leave behind by the Ghosts while they having their meal. Some people will tend to get sick or children tend to become "strange" after eating the offerings.

In-order to prevent such things from happening, best is that we can try to practise that.

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Sending off

Usually sending off is just by burning all the offerings to the Ghosts.

During the sending off, say some good words for the Ghosts, ask for blessing during the Month.

After all joss being burnt, returned home and do not stay at the area. This is to allowed the Ghosts "snatching" of money, Mortals can somehow be affected by that.

Colorful Mini Flags:

Just wondering...what to do with all those beautiful color mini-flags after the 7th month praying?

i) burn with all the kim chuas?

ii) keep them (for next year praying)?

iii) let the children play?

iv) leave them alone?

btw, what is it's significance?

Hi Bro and all,

This is a practise that has been existing in folk's taoism or "Min Jian Xin Yang" for a long time.

It can be consider as a very old traditional customs. From varies records in old ancient china, during the month for the mortals to pay their respects to the hungry ghosts, ppl have been using all these different color flags.

In today's society, in-order to attract more ppl to buy these type of offering, companies tend to print nice nice pictures on the flag whereas in the past, only a few colours are being used.

In the past, such flags are usually used in big prayer session during the 7th Month (by temple - can be taoism or buddhism). After the chanting/praying sessions, presenting of food, sending off the hungry ghosts, etc, each devotee (whom have paid for the food and ceremony) will have to collect or invite one of these color flags home. Reason? To inform/indicate the hungry ghosts that in this home, the members have already offered "them" the offerings for this year, hope "they" dont disturb the ppl living inside this home, but instead, "providing" the ppl the necessary blessings for the month, or so....

In today's praying sessions, ppl tend to place the flags at areas around their praying altars or etc (which they thought all these are mend to be the toys for the hungry ghosts, but which is actually not...), flags all over, seems like national day for the Hell.. funny, but interesting la. :P

I saw in one temple, a pair of straw-shoes below the altar for this 7th month praying.

What is this for? & why?

Please share. Thanks in advance.