Today Is Chinese Ghost Festival
Ghost Festival always falls on the 15th day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar. Historically, people prepared offerings to pay respect to their deceased ancestors. Ghost Festival also coincides with the religious Buddhist holiday. Supposedly, all the lost souls from the underworld are free to come to earth on this day and feast on the offerings that people prepare for them.
This tradition is more than a ‘fiesta’ for the spirits from the underworld. The ritual of burning paper money is for the deceased family members as well as every no-name ghost out there.
I can never understand the purpose of burning paper money. When my grandfather passed away at the age of 97, we not only burned paper money but also a mansion, a Benz, a Rolax, a closet full of clothing (lots of hats…he loved hats!), a set of Mahjong, two servants, a driver, and every material thing that any living person desires. Of course, everything was made of paper. One of my aunts who is a Buddhist nun (I really think she’s a lesbian in disguise!) explained to me that paper money is the intangible currency in the afterlife.
“Ummm, should we burn a paper wife? How about a paper mistress? Grandpa will appreciate that. He always wanted one. He’s finally separated from grandma. They had separate bedrooms ever since grandpa’s 50th birthday. So, I would assume that he couldn’t wait to get away from her. He’d waited for 47 years. I think we should indulge him. Besides, I’m sure grandpa needs a companion as he starts a new life up there.”
Everyone disregarded my idea. Grandpa, it’s the thought that counts and I really tried to get you a new woman!
Anyway, this tradition is not environmentally friendly and a definite fire hazard. People burn stacks of paper money in the streets and ashes just fly all over the place, not to mention the smokes that get into your eyes.
We Are In The Midst of The Ghost Month
The seventh lunar month is also known as the Ghost month. Nobody says you cannot get married during this month but it’s a taboo to do so. However, there are so many taboos - i.e. moving and traveling is considered a taboo. So, I’m not even sure if sex is allowed during the Ghost month.
During ghost month, people regard every accident as a paranormal activity and blame it on the ghosts that are running wild on earth. Ghost month is the only time they can escape from hell and come up for a grand time. Ghost month is sort of a vacation for them.
This is just in! China Times reports that a subway train crashed into rails of trains parked in the station as the operator drove into the final stop and failed to pull the brake. The driver wasn’t under the influence of any substance. He wasn’t working overtime. The preliminary speculation on the accident is that the driver was ‘hallucinating.’ Uh-huh…maybe he saw a ghost waving at him, he freaked out and forgot to step on the brake.
Let The Gods and Goddesses Give You A Hand!
If you want to break up with your girlfriend or boyfriend but can’t seem to have the heart to do it, leave it up to the Chinese gods and goddesses.
My ex JC once told me that it’s a taboo for couples to enter the temples together. He and his ex Annie broke up soon after a trip to the temples.
Me: Why did you bring her to the temple when you obviously know there’s such a taboo?
JC: As long as the couple enters separately, then it’s okay. But she insisted on going in together and ignored the taboo I warned her already.
Me: Y’know…Chinese ancient mythology makes no sense.
JC: Most Chinese gods and goddesses are deified humans and some of them were never married. It’s just a simple respect to visit them as an individual rather than as a couple.
Me: WHAT?! You think they get jealous or something when they see couples in love?! Yap, they’re human all right….
JC and I never visited any temple together and we broke up anyway. This is a paradox because he got back together with Annie right after our breakup.
Water Is Gonna Get You!
If you followed the presidential election in Taiwan earlier this year, you know that it is an unsolved mystery. Half of the population voted against the incumbent president. Some say that ever since Taiwan President Chen Shui-Bian’s inauguration in 2000, Taiwan has had floods all over the island. The day he sworn in as the 11th president for the Republic of China, it rained like cats and dogs.
If you break down the characters in the president’s first name one by one – Shui (water) and Bian (get your ass kicked); it literally means, “Get your ass kicked by water.”
I can’t tell you if there’s any direct link between the typhoon casualties and the president’s first name. It seems unfair to blame it on him. After all, his parents or someone else gave him that name when he was born.
It does seem like Taiwan has suffered huge losses every time a typhoon hits the island. Mudslides washed away houses and the people who were sleeping inside. Floods turned schoolyards into giant swimming pools. What I do not understand is that why does every typhoon bring floods or mudslides. And the prices for fruit and vegetables are for sure to go up after the typhoon is gone.
Last week there was only 3 working days due to typhoon holidays – no work or school.
Actually, it was quite scary. The rainstorm seemed to worsen by the minute, the strong wind was blowing like crazy and all sorts of objects were flying in the sky as if there was a tornado.
Quirky and Simon decided to have a “Typhoon Party.” I’m a party girl and of course, I couldn’t afford to miss it. As I looked out the window, I didn’t think I could brave it out and drive in such a terrible weather condition to a party!
Luckily, I didn’t take the chance and stayed home like everyone else. Many people took an advantage of the no-work day and went out in the storm. Unknown flying objects hit them and the E.R.s were packed with partygoers who wanted to have a little fun on a typhoon night.
It could happen to me if I insisted on going to the typhoon party! I guess I’m not such a hardcore party girl anymore. I can put up my party shoes now.
We are still in the typhoon season. Stay safe, kids.
In this picture, you're supposed to see a basketball court. Instead, you're looking at a swimming pool.
The day after the typhoon
(Source: United Daily)
