It’s all about the Hungry Ghost Festival today – the tradition, the (spooky) superstitions… and the origination.
Listen to the story of how Mulian saved his mother, a folktale that established the festival that is still widely observed by Chinese communities in Asia to this day.
Well, I must admit that I spooked myself while recording this episode.
I had to creep downstairs at night when everyone in my house was asleep, as that was the best (quiet) time to record.
But as I talked about the superstitions, with the winds howling outside and the room suddenly feeling too still, my blood turned cold and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
I had to restrain myself from abandoning my work and running upstairs to hide under the blankets.
But! I did have a lot of fun researching for this episode. For one, although I grew up in Malaysia and was surrounded by the beliefs and customs of the festival, I never knew about the origin story!
Also, while I knew about the paper effigies, it was still fascinating to read and see the wide range of “products” available.
Before I go, here’s a bonus fact about the Hungry Ghost Festival for you:
It’s not uncommon to see paper effigies resembling people. Many families see this as a chance to give their loved ones in the underworld maids, butlers and companions… and even wives and children.
