Ghost Month in Taiwan

Ghost Month recently began according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. During this month, Taiwanese believe the underworld gates are opened, so the ghosts of the dead can come to earth. These ghosts can be good or bad; the ghosts who are adequately venerated by their descendants will bring good fortune to them. Hungry ghosts, or those who have no descendants or descendants who do not take care of them, can bring bad fortune. So you see a few special behaviors in Taiwan during this time.

In the temples, there are special offerings and decorations. There are elaborate paper houses created for the ghosts to reside and lanterns hung to light the way toward them. People come to the temple and leave fruit, cigarettes, booze, cooked whole chicken or duck, candies and cookies, and 'paper money.' The paper money is special money that looks like Taiwan dollars but is meant for burning to give to the ghosts. People set up special altars in front of their stores to make offerings to the ghosts, so their businesses will be protected from misfortune. As you walk down the street at this time, it will be lined with tables on the sidewalk full of various foods and goodies for the hungry ghosts, and a laoban (owner of the business or the boss) burning incense and paper money to ensure the ghosts receive the offerings.

Taiwanese will feel very superstitious during this time. They won't want to say 'ghost,' go swimming, travel late at night, go to any old sites (like the Lin Family Mansion) and generally pay close attention to personal safety. They fear the 'ghosts will get them' or cause them to have some kind of misfortune. One of our friends even received a gift from his lab because he works with fish in the water and would need to go swimming during this month. They gave him a piece of jade to wear around his neck for protection.

I used to feel this was so superstitious and silly - however, if you compare it to the American superstition of avoiding a graveyard at night or on Halloween, it makes a little more sense.

Aubrey and I went to one of the temples to see the festivities on "Open Day" - the day the gates of the Underworld are opened. We burned incense, and then a man told us we were doing things in the wrong order. Aubrey was worried she would be haunted by ghosts due to our incorrect ritual performance. I assured her however, that in my opinion, I think it is the intention that matters, not the specifics of the practice.

I made a short video of some women burning paper money in front of their store. I uploaded it here - I hope it works.