Taoist priest Lee Chee Tong participates in a morning ritual during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Photo: HandoutIn Hong Kong, Singapore, and many other places that celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival each August, the streets undergo a transformation as people leave out offerings of incense, burnt paper money, fruit and biscuits.
While the festival is often seen as a frightening month when restless souls roam our world, Lee Chee Tong, a Taoist priest based in Singapore, offers a deeper understanding of its significance.
The 25-year-old, who works full-time as a social worker, said that many people believe the gates of hell open during the Hungry Ghost Festival. However, he pointed out that Taoism had a different interpretation.
“In Taoism, we don’t believe that the hell gates open, but we believe that this period is the birthday month of one of our deities, which we call Diguan Dadi or the Earthly Official,” explained Tong, a member of Singapore’s Quan Zhen Cultural Society, which follows traditions that have been passed down from Hong Kong.
“We believe the Earthly Official visits our world once a year, on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, which falls on August 18 this year.”
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Birthday ceremony
According to Tong, the Earthly Official’s purpose is to judge human actions and determine our fate. This day also happens to be his birthday. Because of this, people often hold special ceremonies to honour him. It is also a time to ask for forgiveness for their mistakes.
“And that’s the significance of what this day means in Taoism – repentance and seeking blessings,” Lee said.
People also offer food to their ancestors.
“This is an act of filial piety, as we don’t want our ancestors to be forgotten. It’s just like in the movie Coco; if nobody remembers you, you disappear. It’s the same belief in Chinese culture,” he explained, adding that people also prayed for spirits without descendants out of compassion.
Tong also shed light on Taoists’ perception of hell. “Hell is actually not a physical place; it’s more like a state of mind.”
He explained: “Spirits are in hell because they are there willingly ... If someone has a heavy heart, they will also have a heavy soul, and we are here to help them.”
Coming together as a community
During the Hungry Ghost Festival, the role of Taoist priests is similar to that of a counsellor. They chant Cantonese scriptures to help the spirits let go of their grievances and move on to a better place.
The scriptures are usually chanted in front of family members. They contain lessons such as the importance of good deeds and cherishing one’s life and family.
“When we do this ritual, it is also to remind the living to accumulate good karma, appreciate their lives [and] avoid making choices they might later regret,” he said.
This is usually done in an enormous salvation ritual to guide these souls to the afterlife. Tong appreciates the community effort involved in putting on the ceremony, which can cost more than S$10,000 (HK$58,800). People usually chip in to put the event together.
“I feel it’s beautiful because people from all walks of life – even those who are not well-to-do – come together to make it happen,” he said.
A significant part of the event involves donating essential food items such as rice, oil and noodles to the poor. These are usually collected in buckets and distributed to those in need.
Tong shared that before he became a Taoist, he was afraid of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
“I used to be really terrified of ghosts during this month, as many people believe they roam freely. But now that I know the true essence of the Hungry Ghost Festival, it’s transformed my fear into something positive,” he said.