Ghost Month

鬼月
魏老师
 What does Your
Family do to
Bell Ringer
Venerate the
Answer the following:
Dead?
 "It is wonderful that five
thousand years have now elapsed
since the creation of the world, and
still it is undecided whether or not
there has ever been an instance of the
spirit of any person appearing after
death. All argument is against it; but
all belief is for it."
Pop Quiz
4 Corners
1. Our Ancestors are Important
2. Honoring the Dead is an Important Practice
3. Our Lost Loved Ones Sometimes Visit Us
4. There’s Something I can do to Improve the
Experiences of My Lost Loved Ones
Origins of the Ghost
Festival
Answer the following questions:
1. When do the festivities of Ghost month take
place?
2. How do the Buddhist and Daoist
interpretations and celebrations of their
respective Ghost Festivals differ?
3. What is the story of Mulian? Is this story
Daoist or Buddhist?
 Why are ghosts so
Bell Ringer common in
Answer the following: Chinese lore?
*If you need help, refer to Ghost Lovers & Fox Spirits article*
Context: Daoism
Divisions of Daoism

● Southern
○ Spiritual, Rites,
Exorcisms,
Healings
● Northern
○ Knowledge,
Discipline,
Cultivation of the
Self, Worship
● Philosophical
Daoism and the Afterlife
Daoism & the Afterlife
● Daoism has borrowed/absorbed many
ideas and beliefs from neighboring
religions, such as Buddhism. Therefore
there are variations in practices and
beliefs regarding the afterlife.
● Traditionally, Daoism does not focus
on the afterlife due to its focus on
following nature and the goal of
achieving immortality.
Make an Inference: (3mins)
Why might Daoism’s belief system not be strongly
tied to specific concepts about the afterlife?
● It is largely believed that due to the
nature of the world and the Qi that
connects everything, when one’s life is
no more, their soul travels to a spiritual
realm that is a mirror image of our
own.
● Other paths for the soul might include
rebirth/reincarnation, or the soul may
visit Heavenly locations inhabited by
the Gods, such as constellations, the
sun, or mountain tops.
Birth of a Hungry Ghost
Creation Myth
● It is believed that every soul is composed of two parts. There
is a balance between Yin and Yang 阴阳。
● 阴阳 represent opposing, yet complementary forces.
● 阴 - femininity, softness, darkness
● 阳 - masculinity, hardness, light
● The 阴 aspect is referred to as the kui (夔) and is the demonic
half.
● The 阳 aspect is referred to as the shen （神） and is the
ancestral spirit half
Creation Myth
● After Death, the kui should return to the earth, while the
shen returns to the grave or ancestral shrine.
● If properly venerated the ancestral spirit will watch over its
family and provide good luck.
● However, if neglected the spirit will become a kui.
Types of Hungry Ghosts
Types of Ghosts
Ghosts of No Wealth
● Torch or Flaming mouths (炬口鬼): These ● Putrid Mouths (臭口鬼): These ghosts give
ghosts regurgitate fierce flames with mouths off a great decomposing odor from their
of inextinguishable embers. The karmic mouths. They may be found at privies
result of stinginess. overflowing with filth and fecal matter. They
constantly emit a nauseating, evil fumes.
Although they find food, they cannot eat it.
This fills them with anger and they run
● Needle Mouths (針口鬼): These ghosts have
about shrieking.
bellies as vast as mountain valleys. Their
mouth are like the hole of a needle. Even if
they find food or drink, they cannot
consume it. Thus they suffer from hunger
and thirst.
Types of Ghosts
Ghosts of Little Wealth
● Needle Hair (針毛鬼): These ghosts have
bodies made of hair, firm like spears. They ● Putrid Hair (臭毛鬼): These ghosts also have
are unapproachable. Their insides burn, as a bodies made of hair that smells incredibly
deer shot with a poison arrow. They run foul. Their flesh and bones emit noxious
about suffering from ulcers. Only small fumes and their bowels are full of grime.
quantities of impure food can allay their They are agitated from poison in their
hunger. throats and their skin splits when their hair
● The Swollen (癭鬼): Large protuberances is pulled out. Only small quantities of
grow in their throats. They suffer from aches impure food can allay their hunger.
and fever. They smell of pus that gushes
forth from their bodies. They fight with each
other over food. They consume small bits of
pus and blood and can be somewhat satiated.
Types of Ghosts
Ghosts of Great Wealth
● Ghosts of Sacrifices (希祠鬼): These ghosts
live off sacrifices offered by humans. One is
reborn here by ethically gathering wealth,
but with a stingy heart does not practice
generosity. If one is reborn here, their
descendants can make offerings to satiate
their hunger.
● Ghosts of Losses (希棄鬼): These ghosts are
always covetous, searching out filth like
vomit and feces to eat. In life, they sought
out and found enjoyment in both clean and
unclean things, and were thus reborn here..
● Ghosts of Great Power (大勢鬼): They reside
in forests, stupas, mountain valleys, and
empty palaces. Those with no authoritative
power live on all four continents except for
Uttarakuru. Those with authoritative power
may also be found in the heavens and on two
of the five-hundred islands that lie to the
west of Jambudvipa. One island holds their
castle while the other holds the castle of
those ghosts with no authority.
Things to Avoid during
Ghost Month
1. Disturbing Curbside
Offerings
2. Don’t look under or lean
against the altars
3. Don’t sit in the front row of
performances
a. P.S. - They’re
reserved!!!
4. Don’t Whistle at Night
5. Don’t do water activities
6. Avoid Big Events
a. Business Deals
b. Weddings
c. Moving Houses
7. Don’t leave the front door
open
Ghost Month: Altars & Offerings
 The Practice of
Burning Joss Paper
Answer the Following Questions:

What is Joss Paper and Why is it

burnt?
Joss Paper
Paper Money, Objects, and Devices
Created and Burned for the Benefit
of the Dead.

Design 4 Joss Paper Products in

Celebration of Ghost Month, one
of which must be a ‘gold ingot’
How to Fold a Gold
Ingot w/ Joss Paper
Follow the Instructional Video to the
right to craft a Joss Paper ‘Gold’ Ingot

Chinese styled Gold Ingot

TILT
Today I Learned That….
Ghost Maps:
Hungry Ghost
Month 2021