Yu Lan/Hungry Ghost Festival「盂蘭勝會」

Yu Lan is one of the important festivals in Hong Kong. According to traditional Chinese belief, the seventh month in the lunar calendar is when restless spirits roam the earth. Many Chinese people make efforts to appease these transient ghosts, while ‘feeding’ their own ancestors — particularly on the 15th day, which is the Yu Lan or Hungry Ghost Festival.

In Yulan Festival, Chiu Chow People (Chaozhou) organize their own Yu Lan Ghost Festival, which runs for the entire seventh lunar month. In North District, an exhibition showcasing customs and traditions are staged in On Lok Tsuen Playground. They hold the festival for three days. There are Chinese opera performances on temporary bamboo stages, to praise the charitable and pious deeds of the deities. Also, Chiu Chow people offer sacrifices to their ancestors and the wandering ghosts, burning incense and joss paper, distributing free rice, and performing live Chinese operas and Chiu Chow-style dramas for ghosts in need of a bit of entertaining.

If you are interested in Chinese Tradition, you should not miss it!

For more information, please visit:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/ca/see-do/events-festivals/chinese-festivals/the-hungry-ghost-festival.jsp

盂蘭勝會係每年都會舉行嘅活動，相信住係北區嘅人，都唔會對每年農曆年七月一號至號係安樂村 運動場搭起嘅棚架感到陌生。 盂蘭勝會相傳係為咗祭祀鬼神而成，除咗一連三日會請嚟戲班做神功戲， 例如: 六國大封相、 目蓮救母等，亦都會舉行一啲祭祀活動，一般普遍做法，三日嘅活動中，第一天上午請神。主辦機構成員將神靈由會址請到神棚，給善信上香參拜。之後豎起幢幡，代表招孤魂到來聽經、看戲、玩樂和飲食。場地一角擺放大士王畫像，用以鎮壓孤魂不要作亂。開壇和往後的儀式由佛社居士進行。

第二天傍晚有「安五土」(又稱走五土)儀式，經棚前面放置了五張祭桌，代表東南西北中五個方位。十三名佛社居士手持黃、青、白、紅、黑五色旗，按音樂節奏揮舞和穿梭跑動，用意是請五方神靈前來降煞，消災解難。

第三天下午進行「施食」儀式，由佛社法師誦念《瑜伽焰口》，尾段他向外撒出許多由麵粉做的小粒(又稱石榴果)，坊眾爭相搶奪，認為吃了可保平安。儀式完結後，主辦機構的工作人員搬走場中所有與幽魂有關的東西，包括幡桿、燈籠和先人附薦等，拿去火化，寓意恭送遊魂野鬼離開。

以前嘅盂蘭勝會除咗有神功戲同祭祀儀式外，會場嘅附近亦都會有好多小販，因此吸引咗唔少人去盂蘭勝會湊熱鬧。 未去過盂蘭勝會嘅朋友，不如今年就去睇下啦!