Honouring Ancestors: The Hungry Ghost Festival and Ching Ming Traditions in Australia
- 17 August 2020
How much do you know about the Hungry Ghost Festival?
The Hungry Ghost Festival, deeply rooted in Taoist and Buddhist traditions, has been observed for over 2,000 years. In Australia, particularly in cities like Melbourne and Sydney, communities continue to honour their ancestors through rituals and offerings during this sacred time.
Each year, during the seventh lunar month (this year from 19 August to 2 September), it is believed that spirits of the deceased return to roam the earth. Families across Australia, especially those with Chinese heritage, take part in Ghost Month rituals to honour and appease these spirits.
A tradition passed down through generations
Peggy Page, a member of the SMCT Community Advisory Committee, shares her experience growing up in a traditional Chinese family in Malaysia:
“During my childhood, we celebrated the festival at home. On night 14, we would pray with candles and joss sticks out the front of our house. These joss sticks were made with joss paper, also known as ghost or spirit money, that are commonly burned in traditional ceremonies such as this. During the lead up to the 15th day, we helped my mother fold gold, silver and other brightly coloured joss papers - the coloured papers represented colourful clothes, and they were burned as a symbolic offering to the deceased. Food was also presented as an offering.”
In modern times, symbolic offerings have evolved. In Malaysia and even here in Melbourne, people burn paper replicas of luxury items from model houses to designer handbags as a gesture of love and remembrance.
Ghost Month: A time for reflection and respect
The Hungry Ghost Festival in Australia is not just about fear or superstition. As Peggy explains:
“Now, with a deeper and more evolved understanding of the festival, my view is that it is a beautiful time for the living to remember those who have passed. It is also a time for reflection, which gives me a deeper understanding of living.”
During this month, many families avoid going out at night, practice vegetarianism, and participate in puja ceremonies to generate merit for their ancestors.
Ching Ming Festival: Tomb sweeping and ancestral worship
Another important tradition observed by Chinese communities in Australia is the Ching Ming Festival, also known as Qing Ming or Tomb Sweeping Day. Held in early April, this festival is a time for families to visit cemeteries, clean gravesites, and make offerings of food and incense.
At Melbourne cemeteries, such as those managed by SMCT, families gather to honour their ancestors with joss sticks, paper offerings, and memorial tablets. These rituals are a vital part of maintaining ancestral connections and expressing gratitude.
Keeping traditions alive in Melbourne
In Melbourne, Mahayana Buddhist temples host large-scale ceremonies during both Hungry Ghost Month and Ching Ming Festival. These events include:
- Chanting by monks and nuns
- Rows of memorial tablets with names of the deceased
- Food offerings and incense rituals
Peggy reflects:
Celebrations in South East Asia are similar, sharing the belief that it is very important for our ancestors to be happy. When they are happy, it is believed they will bless us with good fortune. I believe the Hungry Ghost Festival is a great time for us, the living, to remember and reflect on what our ancestors have done for us. Without them, we would not be here today. It is also a time to reflect on the fact that once they leave us, all we have of them are memories, and these need to be treasured.
FAQs: Understanding the Hungry Ghost Festival
Where did the Hungry Ghost Festival originate?
It stems from the story of Moggallana, a disciple of Buddha, who liberated his mother from hell through offerings and prayers.
How can I participate in Australia?
- Visit temples in Melbourne or Sydney
- Burn joss paper and symbolic items
- Read Buddhist scriptures like the Kinh Vu Lan
- Perform acts of charity
- Attend community ceremonies
Where is it celebrated in Australia?
Communities in Melbourne, Sydney, and Christmas Island observe the festival with unique local traditions.