Wednesday, August 9, 2006

Ghost Festival

Look familiar?


If your neighbors are Chinese, Buddhist to be precise, you should be able to find it along the road side.

Yesterday was 15th of 7th Month in Chinese calendar, the infamous Ghost Festival… which we believe that ghost will have “holiday” from Hell and have fun in mortal world.This year got two 7th month lagi.. Long Holiday for "them" yoh.

Those offerings is to “respect” them… often meaning “I belanja you makan, give you money to spend.. You don’t come kacau me yah”.

Hehe. I’m not sure what I said is right or not.. it’s just my understanding. If I’m wrong.. feel free to correct.

See this if you're interested in the whole "Ghost Festival" thingie ~

I remember when I was a kid.. I always asked my mum why are we burning those hell notes and offering oranges and apples by the road side.. My mum will always tell me o “pai pai” (拜拜). “Pai-Pai” who? I don’t know..

So.. I assume we’re praying to 萨(Budha), 观音(Guan Yin) and 土地公 (Tu-ti-Gong)

My prayer goes like this…

(Translation - Budha, Guan Yin, "Land God", please bless my family safe and sound and I pass my exam and my dreams will come true"


Sounds like Chinese New Year’s greetings I know..

But… Once I know those Hell Notes, oranges, and apples are for “Good Buddies” 好兄弟..

I changed my prayer “format”

(Translation - Ladies & Gentleman, you go your way, I go mine. Don't disturb me. You ok I ok)

Yesterday night, like every year, my mum and I were burning those hell notes.

Me: Ma ah, you know what is blogging ah?

Mum: Huh? Block..? Blocking?

Me: Like.. writing diary in the Internet lo

Mum: A ha?

Me: I wanna take picture and blog about this “Ghost festival”

Mum: Cannot lah.. Later you soi-soi really saw something inside..

Me: Mm.. Oh… Ok.. Actually, I also a bit scare lah =p


Scare saw something like...

.

.

.

.

This?

(Just kidding~)

6 comments:

Unknown said...

lol... u dare to play fool ah? anyway, I think Brunei chinese not like Malaysian chinese pray so hard about it... here u can see they brun thousand of tonnes for the ceremony.

Unknown said...

I guess so, in Malaysia, every ghost festival, they tends to burn those hell money a lots. besides if you go to cemetery, you will lots of yummy food and drinks like Jack Daniels and roasted prok left behinds. sometimes, it just like living at Hong Kong or Taiwan

Ninjapura said...

Bruneian very good, at least put a piece of newspaper below the offerings...

Anonymous said...

i wonder the "gate" will open again during 15th next month??
Special holiday for those "good brother".....

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