~ July ~

Festival of The Seven Sisters

Once upon a time, when the seven daughters of the Jade Emperor were bathing, a Cowherd stole one of their clothing and ran away with it. The seven sisters came out of the river, the prettiest one discover that and she had to go and ask the Cowherd for her clothes. Of course, once a man saw her naked, she had to marry him. They lived happily together for three years. However, the gods ordered the girl back to Heaven getting on weaving their robes. All that the lovers were allowed was one short look of each other a year. Later, the Cowherd died. He became an Immortal with the help of his magic Cow and made hurry to join his beloved among the stars. But, the Queen of Heaven feared that her wardrobe might be depleted again, she took out her magic hairpin and with one sweep of her arm, drew the Milky Way across the sky leaving the Cowherd on one side and the girlon the other. On the day of Double Seventh, all the magpies in the world fly up to Heaven and make a bridge with their wings for the girl to cross over to visit her husband. This story is remembered by young unmarried girls who make offerings to the lovers and figure out when they will marry and whom. The offerings vary in size and quality, they are all of a similar design.

Yuen Laan

Yuen Laan, also called the Festival for the Hungry Ghosts. There is a clear distinction between ancestor and ghosts in Chinese language. Ancestors are "jo sin", it could be translated "former holy founders"; ghosts are "kwai" - spirits, ghosts. There are immense numbers of ghosts : some were unlucky enough to have all descendants die out; some died without children; some have been unable to reach the dead's world since they had no proper funeral. They got no food, paper clothing and even spirit money showered upon ancestors. These are the underprivileged dead. That's why they are "dangerous". The Seventh Moon is a worrying time. Because the gates of the underworld are opened and ghosts are free to roam whenever and wherever they like. Therefore, it is needed to placate them by offering the same gifts that are given to ancestors and gods, and entertain them with several nights and days of opera. Celebrations is housed in temporary matshed constructions built round a open space. One side, there is a theatre; the other side is a longish altar with huge sticks of incense are burning night and day. Lots of worshippers comes here to kneel, pray and place fresh incense sticks. Most of them are women. Behind the altar, there is a temporary temple, images representing the deities of the various local temples have been carried in sedan chairs. The climax of every single festival is the sending of food, paper clothing and spirit money to the hungry ghosts. But not for the food, it is distributed later. This is late on the last evening. At the end, the gigantic paper figure of Taai Si WOng is carried from on end of the bonfire to the other end and back again to check everything has been completed. Assured that he too returns to the Hell in Flames. Taai Si Wong who dominates the whole proceedings, fifteen feet in height with a notebook in his left hand and a pen in his right hand. He is a policeman and also the recorder, watching and writing things down and reporting to the King of Hell. Looking closely to Taai Si Wong, there is a small Koon Yam near or on the figure of Taai Si Wong. Some people say that Koon Yam - Goddess of Mercy, first gave a feast for the hungry ghosts, But, when the ghosts came, they behaved so badly. Koon Yam decided to ask the King of Hell to help her keep order. Ever since, all ghosts have behaved very nicely. Some believes that he is the Yim Lo Wong. Some people give another explanation of Koon Yam, they said that Koon Yam appears in many different forms. Fundamentally, she is always the loving Boddhisatva, but sometimes she appears to be fierce if necessary. According to this view, Taai Si Wong or Yim Lo Wong is Koon Yam herself. Besides of the big ceremonies, many smaller ones are performed during the first two weeks of this moon when believers make their own offerings and burn paper money to the restless spirits - "shiu yi" means burning clothes. There are also decarated lighters circulating the harbour. These are taking offerings to ghosts who died at sea. When Buddhist monks or Taoist priests chant their liturgies on the boat and pious believers, they scatter rice upon the water and launch paper boats filling with gifts. In many small villages, there are small "shiu yi" ceremony. The elders go to the temple or ancestor hall to inform goads and ancestors. And, on the open space, they burn incense, paper clothing and load of spirit money for the ghosts. Once the ghosts have had their spiritual fill, the children come running to scramble for what is left.

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