A Quick Overview of the Hungry Ghost Festival Worship: Rules for Incense of Different Colours

The Hungry Ghost Festival is one of the most meaningful traditional observances in Chinese folk culture. Every seventh lunar month, people hold rituals to honor deities, ancestors, and wandering spirits, also known as the “good brothers”.

However, the ceremony involves more than simply placing offerings on the altar. From the choice of incense color and the preparation of food, to the proper way of burning Gu Yi joss paper for wandering spirits, each step carries deep cultural wisdom and reverence. Overlooking these details is not only considered disrespectful, but may also invite unintended consequences.

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What Incense to Use for the Hungry Ghost Festival?

Lighting incense is a way of conveying respect and devotion to deities, ancestors, and wandering spirits. Yet many people may not realize that incense comes in different colors, each carrying its own symbolism. Using the wrong type of incense can be seen as disrespectful, or even lead to misunderstandings. Generally, three main colors are used in rituals, each with a distinct meaning:

• Red incense: Symbolizes joy and auspiciousness, commonly used for honoring ancestors or deities.
  
  

• Yellow incense: Symbolizes reverence and is typically offered to deities.
  
  

• Green incense: Symbolizes obscurity and is specifically used for appeasing lonely wandering souls.
  
  

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, the choice of incense and offerings varies depending on whom you are worshipping:

• For deities: Use yellow or red incense, with offerings such as pastries, fruits, vegetarian dishes, flowers, and tea.
  
  

• For ancestors: Use red incense, with offerings including the three sacrificial meats, home-cooked dishes, fruits, wine or tea, Kua Kim joss money, large silver joss money, and candles.
  
  

• For wandering spirits: Use green incense, with offerings such as biscuits, cooked dishes, fruits, tea, and small silver joss paper.

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The Meaning and Ritual of Burning Gu Yi Joss Paper

Gu Yi, also known as Jing Yi, refers to paper garments for the spirits. They symbolize clothing and daily necessities for wandering souls who have no descendants to make offerings for them. Burning Gu Yi carries the spirit of charity and compassion, helping to provide comfort for these wandering souls.

Since wandering spirits are believed to be most active at night, Gu Yi should be burned after sunset.

Steps for Burning Gu Yi

1. Use a winter melon as an incense burner, and light a pair of red candles with three incense sticks.
   
   

2. First burn Guanyin Yi to invite Guanyin Bodhisattva to maintain order.
   
   

3. Burn 36 sets of spirit clothes and offerings (You Yi You Lu) so that wandering souls may receive the devotees’ offerings.
   
   

4. Place food offerings by the roadside, along with three cups of rice wine and three pairs of chopsticks.
   
   

5. Continue by burning paper offerings such as creek money, gold silver joss paper, ingot joss paper, hell money and seven color paper.
   
   

6. Finally, scatter paper coins on the ground to symbolize almsgiving, marking the completion of the ritual.
   
   

Throughout the process, one should remain respectful and solemn. Joss paper should be kept intact, and ashes must not be trampled upon. Leftover offerings should never be taken home. Only leave once all paper offerings have fully burned.

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Five Taboos When Burning Gu Yi

1. Do not look back: Avoid unwanted entanglement with spirits.
   
   

2. Do not open your mouth: Prevent spirits from mistaking it as laughter.
   
   

3. Do not kick the ashes: The burnt paper represents spirit clothing; kicking it is a serious offense.
   
   

4. Do not speak carelessly: Maintain sincerity and reverence throughout.
   
   

5. Do not be greedy: Never use damaged or incomplete paper garments.

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What Foods Should Be Prepared for the Hungry Ghost Festival?

1. The Three Sacrificial Meats

The “Three Sacrificial Meats” traditionally include chicken, pork, and fish. They are considered essential offerings, symbolizing abundance and completeness.

• Chicken: Must be offered whole, without removing the wings, feet, or head. This symbolizes wholeness, blessing, and fulfillment.
  
  

• Fish: A whole fish should be used to represent “having a beginning and an end,” symbolizing completeness in life and career, as well as leaving a strong foundation for future generations
  
  

• Pork: Usually, pork belly with skin and fat is chosen, symbolizing prosperity and solidity.

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Tip: If preparing the traditional three sacrificial meat is inconvenient, many families now opt for vegetarian substitutes made from flour-based foods such as pastries or buns. This eco-friendly alternative still conveys sincerity and respect.

2. The Four Fruits

The “Four Fruits” refer to seasonal fruits, but not all fruits are suitable for offerings.

Suitable fruits for worship

• Kiwi: Its Chinese name sounds like “auspicious fruit,” symbolizing good fortune.
  
  

• Apple: Represents peace and safety.
  
  

• Orange: Symbolizes great luck and prosperity.
  
  

• Pomelo: Sounds like “having offspring” in Chinese, and its round shape symbolizes reunion and completeness.
  
  

Fruits to avoid

• Guava & Watermelon: Contain too many seeds, symbolizing dispersion.
  
  

• Banana: In Hokkien, it sounds like “calling” (zhao), implying “inviting spirits”.
  
  

• Pear: Sounds like “separation” in Chinese, symbolizing parting and misfortune.
  
  

Tip: The number of meats and fruits offered should always be an odd number (3, 5, or 7). Odd numbers are considered “yang numbers” and auspicious, while even numbers are avoided.

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3. Tofu and Bean Sprouts

According to the Buddhist scripture Ullambana Sutra, spirits in the realm of hungry ghosts suffer because whatever food they consume instantly turns into flames, leaving them in constant hunger and thirst.

For this reason, tofu and bean sprouts are commonly offered during the Hungry Ghost Festival. With their high water content and ease of consumption, they symbolize nourishment and comfort for the hungry ghosts, providing them with a brief sense of relief.

In some regions, people also offer plain rice mixed with water, carrying the same intention of easing the thirst and hunger of the wandering spirits.

Hungry Ghost Festival Worship Sequence and Timing

The Pudu (universal offering) follows a fixed order of worship:

1. Worship the Deities (Emperor of the Earth Officials)
   
   

   • Time: Around 11:00 a.m.

   • Offerings: Fruits, the three sacrificial meats, vegetarian dishes, tea, and wine
     
     

2. Worship the Ancestors
   
   

   • Time: Around noon

   • Offerings: Cooked dishes, the three meats and four fruits, tea, wine, Kua Kim joss paper, and large silver joss paper
     
     

3. Worship the Wandering Spirits

   • Time: After sunset

   • Offerings: Cooked dishes, fruits, biscuits, tofu, bean sprouts, and small silver joss paper

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Common Taboos During the Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as “Ghost Month,” is traditionally believed to be the time when the Gates of the Underworld are opened and spirits roam the human world. Because of this, many taboos are observed to avoid misfortune or showing disrespect. Below are some of the most common ones:

1. Avoid Major Life Events

• Buying property or vehicles: The seventh lunar month is considered inauspicious for making big purchases, as it may attract bad luck.

• Weddings: Holding weddings during Ghost Month is discouraged, as mischievous spirits are believed to cause disruptions.

• Moving or renovations: Loud noise and disturbance are thought to offend spirits and invite unnecessary trouble.

2. Behavioral Taboos

• Do not walk close to walls: Spirits are believed to linger along walls, making it easier to “follow” passersby.

• Do not splash water at night: It may unintentionally fall on wandering spirits, which is considered disrespectful.
  
  

• Avoid visiting hospitals: Hospitals are seen as a place between yin and yang, where spirits are more likely to gather.
  
  

• Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice: This resembles the way offerings are presented to spirits and may invite them to “eat.”
  
  

• Do not open umbrellas indoors: Umbrellas are thought to attract yin energy, especially at night.
  
  

• Avoid taking photos or videos at midnight: You may capture unwanted “figures” that should not be there.
  
  

• Do not celebrate birthdays at night: It is said that spirits may “join the celebration”, increasing negative energy.

Every step of the Hungry Ghost Festival rituals embodies the wisdom and faith of our ancestors. From the careful preparation of offerings to the observance of taboos, these practices remind us to approach all beings with reverence and compassion. Understanding these details not only ensures a more complete and respectful ceremony, but also teaches us to cherish the present and cultivate virtue while honoring the past.

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