Chinatown Stories | Updated as of June 2019

Hungry Festival Unique seventh-month activities in Chinatown and their cultural significance

Every year during the Festival, Chinatown reverberates with a flurry of activity. It is believed that on the first day of the seventh lunar month, the gates of the netherworld are cast open and of the dead roam the earth freely. Technically, this begins at 11pm on the eve of the first day of the seventh lunar month.

Both Taoists and Buddhists observe this festival, which usually takes place sometime in August and September on the Western calendar. Throughout the month, rituals are performed and offerings made. This is especially prevalent on the first day, 15th day and last day of that month.

Taoists and Buddhists, however, have different beliefs with regard to the festival’s origin and significance. Taoists believe spirits that have been trapped in the netherworld are starved of food – and if not appeased, can get up to mischief. To avert disaster, Taoists perform religious rites to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased.

They also believe that the birthday one of the three deities who control the fate of mankind – Di Guan Da Di（ 地官大帝） falls on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. The ruler of earth and the pardoner of sins, Di Guan Da Di descends to earth on this day every year to record the good and evil deeds of each person. This is celebrated as Zhong Yuan Jie （中元节）. Believers visit temples to repent of their sins and pray for happiness, and priests perform rituals and make food offerings.

The emphasis for Buddhists, however, is . According to Buddhist legend, Mu Lian （目 莲）, a disciple of Buddha, found his deceased mother in the netherworld among hungry for her earthy transgressions. Deeply grieved, he asked Buddha for guidance, and was taught how to make offerings of prayer and food to alleviate her suffering.

This is celebrated as Yu Lan Pen （盂蘭盆） Festival. In Mandarin, “yu lan” means “to hang upside down”, and “pen” refers to the container of food offerings. Thus, “yu lan pen” refers to the container of food offerings to save one’s ancestors in purgatory. These offerings and prayer also dedicate to these ancestors, so that they may be reborn into higher realms.

Prayer sessions may be organised by businesses and associations such as the wet market at Chinatown Complex Hawker Centre, People’s Park Complex, the shop owners at the old People’s Park and People’s Park Centre. The most colourful ones tend to be conducted at Chinatown Complex.

Rituals are also performed at Chinatown’s religious landmarks such as Thian Hock Keng Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple And Museum. Built in 1842, the former is one of the oldest and most important temples in – constructed of stone, tile and wood without a single nail. It was gazetted as a national monument in 1973. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum is a Tang-style temple built in 2007 for $75 million.

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Many Chinese also burn paper offerings in metal drums and cages scattered around Chinatown throughout that period. They believe that the smoke from these offerings will rise to the and deliver these items to their loved ones.

Since 1948, Nam’s Supplies on 22 Smith Street, a third-generation family business, has been selling religious paraphernalia to devotees. Their merchandise ranges from joss sticks to notes in all denominations, including small notes to clear the way for and trillions of dollars for larger expenses in the netherworld. Paper effigies of the most coveted items include lookalike iPhones, iPads and MacBooks, clothes, designer bags, Swiss watches, sports cars, luxury yachts and mansions.

Offerings and auspicious items may also be purchased during special Hungry auctions that take place yearly in Chinatown. Some commonly available auspicious items include charcoal pieces wrapped in gold paper known as “black gold”, statues or effigies of Fu Lu Shou （福禄寿） huat kueh （發粿） or prosperity cakes, and bottles of cognac or XO.

Donated by members of the estate or the organising community, these items may fetch hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Many Chinese believe that the more they pay for these items, the more luck they can expect to receive in return. Funds raised go towards paying for the event, prayers and a multi-course dinner. For bigger events, part of the proceeds might go to one or two charities as well.

These boisterous events are unique to Singapore, and typically followed by a performance. Meaning “song stage” in Chinese, (歌台) are loud and flashy outdoor music performances meant to entertain both the dead and the living. While performances used to be the norm, today, getais tend to feature contemporary Chinese, Hokkien and English hits, dance routines in flamboyant costumes, and stand-up comedy.

They take place in large makeshift tents set up in open spaces in Chinatown such as Kreta Ayer Square. The venues for these auctions and getai performances change yearly, and are updated online or in the Chinese newspapers. Free for all, they don’t require an entrance ticket. The front row, however, is never occupied – those seats are reserved exclusively for the “good brothers” or wandering spirits.

References:  http://thianhockkeng.com.sg/site/portfolio-archive/hungry-ghost-festival/

 http://www.btrts.org.sg/

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft8NRUyXmBw

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 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/hungry-ghost-festival-all-you-need-to-know-and- heed-about-the-7th-month-celebrations

 http://www.chinatown.sg/index.php?fx=itv-page&iid=15

 https://theculturetrip.com/asia/singapore/articles/top-5-essential-activities-during-the- hungry-ghost-festival/

 https://www.lonelyplanet.com/singapore/shopping/nam-s-supplies/a/poi- sho/1272852/357350

 https://www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/hungry-ghost- festival/

 http://www.chinatownology.com/hungry_ghost_festival.html

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