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Zhongyuan (Hungry Ghost) Festival foods

July 15 of the lunar calendar is the Zhongyuan (Hungry Ghost) Festival observed by Taoists, and the Ullambana Festival celebrated by Buddhists as well. It is a day to honor the departed spirits of ancestors as well as a festival to pray for safety and show filial piety to parents.

A sacrificial altar and a chair is built for the Buddhist priest either at street entrances or in front of villages. In front of the chair is set the statue of the King of Hell Di Zang. Under it are plates of flour-made rice and peaches. On the sacrificial altar are three spirit tablets and three funeral banners. After noon, pigs, sheep, chicken, geese and cakes, fruits of all kinds donated by households are displayed on the altar. On every sacrificial object the Buddhist priest will put a triangular paper banner of three colors with special characters. After the rite gets started in solemn music, the priest will strike the bell to call back the souls, other monks singing chimes of incantations. Then, he will throw the rice and peaches into the air in all directions to distribute them to the souls.