15 Mu Lian sought help from Buddha, who intervened and taught Mu Lian to make offerings of special prayers and food. 14 In another version, he sent her a bowl of rice as an offering, but the food turned into flaming coals before it could enter her mouth.
13 In one version of the story, Mu Lian tried to feed his starving mother, but the food was grabbed by other hungry ghosts. 12 Mu Lian tried to locate his deceased mother in the netherworld and found her among the hungry ghosts. 11 His mother, who was a vegetarian, had consumed meat soup unknowingly, and was condemned to hell for denying it. 10Īccording to legend, the Yu Lan Pen Festival originated from the attempt by Mu Lian, a disciple of Buddha, to save his mother from torture in hell. 9 The legend is also believed to be the origin of the Chinese custom of making offerings and praying for one’s ancestors during this annual festival. 8 The festival, which originated from the story of Mu Lian, commemorates his filial piety towards his mother. 7 Yu lan pen thus refers to a container filled with offerings to save one’s ancestors from being suspended in suffering in purgatory. Yu lan means to “hang upside down” in Chinese, while pen in this context refers to a container filled with food offerings. Yu Lan Pen is a transliteration of the Sanskrit name for the Buddhist Ullambana Festival. 6īuddhists, on the other hand, have traditionally celebrated the Hungry Ghost Festival as the Yu Lan Pen (盂兰盆) Festival. 5 Traditionally during this month, Taoist priests would perform rites and make food offerings, while devotees would visit temples to repent their sins, as well as pray for happiness and avoidance of disasters. 4ĭuring the seventh lunar month, the gates of hell are open and hungry ghosts are released from the netherworld to wander on earth among humans and look for food. Zhong Yuan Jie, which falls on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, is the birthday of Di Guan Da Di, who descends to earth on this day to record the good and evil deeds of each human being.
Shang Yuan Jie, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, and Xia Yuan Jie on the 15th day of the tenth lunar month, are the birthdays of the rulers of heaven and water respectively.
3Īccording to traditional Taoist beliefs, the fate of mankind is controlled by three deities: Tian Guan Da Di, ruler of heaven, who grants happiness Di Guan Da Di, ruler of earth, who pardons sins and Shui Guan Da Di, ruler of water, who alleviates dangers. In the 1880s and 1890s, the festival was also known as Sumbayang Hantu (praying to ghosts). In Singapore, the festival appears to have been celebrated since the British arrived, being mentioned in the newspapers in as early as 1873. Taoists focus on appeasing the wandering souls released from the netherworld, while the emphasis of the Buddhists is filial piety. The origin and significance of the Hungry Ghost Festival differ between Taoists and Buddhists. 1 During this period, many Chinese worship their ancestors and make offerings to wandering souls that roam the earth. In Singapore, the festival is observed throughout the entire seventh lunar month, which is usually around the month of August of the Western calendar. Zhong Yuan Jie (中元节), also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, traditionally falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
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