How to Make Offerings During the Hungry Ghost Festival

The seventh month of the lunar calendar, also known as the Ghost Month, is an important time in traditional Chinese culture. Beyond warding off misfortune, the month also incorporates Buddhist and Taoist beliefs. It merges the Buddhist Ullambana Festival and the Taoist Day of Pardon, embodying themes of filial piety, ancestral remembrance, compassion for wandering spirits and the pursuit of peace.

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, families typically prepare offerings for their ancestors in the morning. In the evening, they place offerings outdoors to appease wandering spirits, a practice known as “street worship,” showing both respect and compassion.

This guide gives you a complete overview of important dates, rituals, offering suggestions and common taboos, perfect for beginners who want to observe the festival meaningfully.

Key Dates of the 2025 Hungry Ghost Festival

Gate Opening

• Lunar calendar: Seventh month, first day

• Gregorian calendar: Saturday, August 23, 2025

• Main offering: Evening street worship for wandering spirits
  
  

Festival Day

• Lunar calendar: Seventh month, 14th or 15th day

• Gregorian calendar: Friday, September 5 or Saturday, September 6, 2025

• Main offering: Ancestral worship and street offerings
  
  

Gate Closing

• Lunar calendar: Seventh month, 30th day

• Gregorian calendar: Sunday, September 21, 2025

• Main offering: Send off the spirits and burn paper offerings
  
  

Note: Offerings can be made on any day from the first to the 29th of the seventh lunar month. What matters most is sincerity rather than exact timing.

What is “Gate Opening”?

Gate Opening refers to the first day of the seventh lunar month. According to folklore, this is when the gates of the underworld open and wandering spirits are free to roam the human world. The closing of the gates at the end of the month marks the return of these spirits to the afterlife.

Throughout this month, the atmosphere is believed to be filled with yin energy. To stay safe, it is traditionally advised to avoid late nights, moving homes, weddings and swimming, as these activities might invite misfortune.

Origins and Spiritual Meaning of the Hungry Ghost Festival

The Hungry Ghost Festival reflects the fusion of Buddhist and Taoist traditions.

In Buddhism, it is called the Ullambana Festival. It is a time for prayers, offerings, charity and the release of captive animals to relieve the suffering of souls in hell.

In Taoism, it is known as the Day of Pardon, when the Earth Official records sins and grants forgiveness. Offerings and paper burnings are performed to honor spirits and cleanse misfortune.

Among the general public, it is often simply referred to as Ghost Festival. People believe ancestors return to visit the living, and offerings must also be made to lonely spirits with no descendants to care for them.

What is “Offerings for Wandering Spirits” and Why Is It Important?

“Offerings for Wandering Spirits” is a significant part of the Hungry Ghost Festival. It is a ritual dedicated to spirits without living relatives, commonly referred to as “good brothers”—who have no one to honor or care for them. During the seventh lunar month, people prepare offerings at roadsides to show compassion and respect to these lonely souls.

Traditionally, it is believed that once you begin this practice, it should be continued every year at the same time and place. Discontinuing it may leave the spirits waiting in vain, which could result in misfortune. If you are unable to continue the offerings in the future, it is advisable to entrust a temple to carry out the ritual on your behalf.

Two Main Types of Offerings During the Hungry Ghost Festival

Ancestral Worship

• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Location: At the family altar or ancestral tablet

• Offerings: A complete meal with three types of meat, tea or wine, incense, joss paper and spirit money.

• Meaning: This honors ancestors who are believed to return home to visit. Preparing these offerings expresses gratitude and filial devotion.

Offerings for Wandering Spirits

• Time: Best done after 7:00 p.m.

• Location: Open areas such as street corners, temple entrances or community squares

Recommended Offerings:

• Staples: Water rice (plain rice with clear water), buns, mixed rice

• Soft foods: Tofu, rice noodles, steamed cakes, snacks

• Sweets: Candy, biscuits, traditional pastries for children’s spirits

• Drinks: Tea, rice wine, soft drinks

• Paper offerings: Joss money, seven color paper, paper clothing and paper money

Note: All offerings should be unwrapped before being placed, symbolizing an open-hearted act of giving.

Complete Steps for Making Offerings During the Hungry Ghost Festival

1. Arrange the Offerings:
Prepare cooked dishes, fruits, candies, biscuits, and other food offerings. Neatly place them in front of your home or at the selected site.

2. Light Candles and Incense:
Insert a stick of incense in front of each offering, then light the incense and candles.

3. Burn Paper Offerings:
Once the incense has burned for a while, begin burning joss paper, including gold and silver ingots or paper clothing.

4. Perform the Wine Offering:
During the burning of paper offerings, gently scatter small portions of food or sweets into the fire and pour wine or tea as a sign of respect to the wandering spirits.

Time & Location Guidelines for Offerings

Best Time to Offer:

• After sunset (ideally after 7:00 PM)

• Dusk is considered the best time as spirits are believed to roam at night

• Avoid offering during the day, especially at noon or early afternoon, as it may not be effective

Recommended Locations:

• Open spaces outside your home

• Alley entrances, open fields, or town squares

• Outside temples or the side entrances of shops (not the main entrance)
  
  

Avoid These Locations:

• Indoors, balconies, or directly in front of your main entrance

• Never directly across from someone else's front door

Taboos to Avoid During the Hungry Ghost Festival

• Do not say your full name aloud while offering to avoid spirits remembering and following you

• Avoid stepping on incense ash or paper, it is disrespectful and may attract negative energy

• Do not take the offerings back home to eat

• Refrain from joking, making loud noises, taking photos, or live-streaming the ritual

• Avoid wearing bright red or all-black outfits, simple and respectful clothing is advised
  
  

Note: If this is your first time offering to wandering spirits, it's recommended to continue the practice around the same time each year. If you're unable to continue in the future, you may entrust a temple or deity to help care for the spirits on your behalf to avoid any sense of “abandonment”.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is not only a time to pay respects to wandering souls but also an opportunity to reconnect with our ancestors and express heartfelt remembrance. Every offering and incense lit is a gesture of love, a way to bring peace to the departed and to ourselves.

If you are looking for a serene and respectful final resting place for a loved one, or wish to learn more about landed plots or urn compartments, feel free to visit Perpetual Memorial Park or contact us via WhatsApp. We are dedicated to preserving cherished memories, giving your love a lasting home.

Wishing you a peaceful Ghost Month, good health for your family, and eternal peace for your ancestors.

#万富 #继承传统