It is believed that the gates of the underworld open for a month, once a year and the discontented and vengeful ghosts of those who died without proper funeral rites, who met a violent death, or whose living relatives neglected their after-life spirits, roam the earth looking to satisfy their hunger for attention and peace. The purpose of the festival is to prevent these ghosts from inflicting harm on the living in order to gratify their needs, and so elaborate religious parades with food offerings fill the streets, and roadside fires are built to burn gifts of money and crafted paper objects such as cars or furniture to appease the wandering ghosts. Various types of entertainment also take place to keep them happy. For more information contact the Hong Kong Tourist Office Association on +852 2807 6543 or info@www.hkta.org
Region/City Name:
Hong Kong City
Event Date:
August 31, 2012
Venue:
Various. Popular venues are King George V Memorial Park, Kowloon and Moreton Terrace Playground, Causeway Bay
Date Text:
31 August 2012
