2005 Keelung City Ghost Festival

The 2005 Keelung City Ghost Festival takes place from August 4 to September 4, during the seventh lunar month.

The offering of sacrifices held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month -- the Ghost Festival -- is a custom dating back thousands of years. The custom has been passed on through many generations.

According to Taoist beliefs, this festival of deliverance originated on the birthday of the Chinese Guardian of Hell, who governs all matters in the underworld. He once decreed an amnesty out of mercy, so all lost souls could be released back to the mortal world from Hell on the 1st day of July in the lunar calendar. From this day on, incense, candles and food were offered to the spirits for a period of one month so they might be converted to "The Way."

The Buddhists designated the sacrifices as the Ghost Festival. Legend has it that Moginlin, a disciple of Buddha Sakyamuni, entered the path of hungry spirits in Hell to rescue his deceased mother from suffering there. On the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, five fruits and a hundred delicacies were offered in ten directions to all the ghosts in space to relieve his mother's suffering in Hell.

Both of these interpretations of the Ghost Festival encompass the Chinese spirits of forbearance, charity and filial piety.

The origin of the Ghost Festival in Keelung can be traced back to the "Changchow and Chuanchow Clash". This was a battle occurred in August 1851, between the migrants from Changchow and Chuanchow in Mainland China's Fukien Province. Many people died in this brutal fight. A sacrificial ceremony was performed on the verge of further revenge and provocation. Fortunately, knowledgeable people of high esteem stepped in to mediate and the imminent clash did not take place. It was then decided that families would take turns offering sacrifices to relieve the souls of the dead from suffering in the next world.

The sacrificial services have been conducted ever since for 150 years. The first Ghost Festival in Keelung was held in 1856. The 11 family sects drew lots to alternately become the principal sponsor who officiated over the services of delivering all the souls in the Ghost Festival. In 1954, the Association of Joint Family Names was established, resulting in a total of twelve family groups alternating the sponsorship. After various changes that took place during the 1980s, there are now a total of 15 associations.

The Ghost Festival begins on the 1st day of the seventh lunar month and is marked by opening the tower gate of the "Old Venerable" Temple. On the 12th day, lamps on the Main Altar are lighted, so that every corner of Keelung City is illumnated by spectacular multi-colored lights. On the 13th day, procession of dipper lanterns is held and greeted by attendants of the festival. On the 14th day, a parade is held for releasing the water lanterns. On the 15th day, water lanterns are officially released, and sacrificial rites for delivering the ghosts are performed both in public and privately. A ceremonial dance is also performed to welcome deity Chung Kwei, the King of Ghosts, to awe the spirits and keep them in order. On the 1st day of the eighth lunar month, the tower gate is closed, and all the ghosts return to Hell.

Every sacrificial ritual performed during the Ghost Festival reflects certain cultural and folklore tradition. For example, on the first day of the Ghost Month, the tower gate and the tombs are opened to let the wandering, the hungry and the lonely ghosts in Hell return to the world of the living and seek food for one month. In dipper lanterns, which represent clans with the same family name, there are actual objects of ruler, scissors, sword and mirror, each having a specific auspicious meaning. The handing over of thimbles with family names on them signify "generational succession".

Meanwhile, the lanterns are released in the waterways to illuminate the way for the abandoned souls and to lead them to dry land. The Main Altar is arranged in the form of the Chinese character "Fu", which means "wealth" and "luck". Each of the most brilliantly shone four characters of "Gold", "Fowl", "Sable" and "Stone" has its historical meaning. The ceremonial dance of welcoming Chung Kwei and the closing of the tower gate on the 1st day of the eighth lunar month are for sending the ghosts back to the nether world, so that they will not cause any harm in the living world.