Ghost Month

Hello dear readers...What an interesting time this is. This month is Ghost Month. Specifically, the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The Chinese believe very strongly in spirits and ghosts. So much so that their beliefs and fears keep them from going in certain bodies of water for fear of being taken away by evil spirits.

During this month on the 13th day, there's a Ghost Day where the people believe that the gates of Hell open and their dead ancestors are allowed to visit this world for a brief time. To quell any evil spirits and maintain a generally happy ghost population a lot of sacrificing is done in the form of food and burning money. Not real money. They have paper that is supposed to represent money that gets burned in these special cans during the day out front of homes and shops. As far as offerings go, the Taiwanese place sometimes huge tables of food on the street for the Ghosts to just take. It's a very serious tradition.

In my first week here I noticed a table of this nature laden with food on the sidewalk as I was walking to work. I had no idea it was an offering to deceased relatives. I thought that this country was just so nice for leaving free food out for anyone that would want it.... No, I didn't take any, but I was sure tempted.