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Sunday, August 7, 2011

Difference between Qing ming and Ghost month

Being a Westerner, I was confused with the two festivals. I found an explantion in the following site: http://taoism.about.com/od/holidays/a/Ghost_Festival.htm :

Honoring & Communicating With The Ancestors

At the time of the Ghost Festival, the lines of communication between the three realms of Heaven, Hell and the Earthly realm of the living are more open than at other times. Because of this, it’s easier to communicate, and rituals of honoring and healing are more effective and powerful.
On Tomb Sweeping Day (Qingming Jie), the living pay homage to their deceased ancestors. In the Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan Jie ) the roles are reversed: the ghosts and spirits pay visits to the living - are the honored guests.

Ghost Festival Offerings To The Ancestors

Offerings made during the Ghost Festival are similar to those of Tomb Sweeping Day, and include: incense, joss paper (“spirit Money” or “Ghost Money”), prepared food, wine and tea, as well as gold and other valuables. While for the Tomb Sweeping Festival these offerings are made at the graves of the ancestors, for the Ghost Festival they are offered in the homes of the living, in the context of elaborate feasts. Traditionally, empty seats are left at the family table, as though the deceased ancestors were actually going to be attending the feast prepared in their honor. In this way, the living and the dead are able to sit down together, and share in a meal.

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