The 7th month isn't as scary as it seems, a Taoist priest shares why

The seventh month in the lunar calendar, also known as the Hungry Ghost Month, is generally associated with spooky encounters and all things horror. 

Some also believe that the 15th day of this month, which fell on Aug 18 this year, is where yin energy is the 'strongest', hence making it the most haunted. 

However, it isn't as scary as it seems, Taoist priest Lee Chee Tong told AsiaOne during an interview last Thursday (Aug 22). 

According to Taoist beliefs, the fifteenth day of the seventh month is the birthday of Di Guan Da Di, also known as the 'earth official'. 

As the earth official is believed to have the ability to forgive sins and wrongdoings, Taoist priests usually conduct rituals on this day to help both the living and the dead repent and seek forgiveness. 

"It eventually became a month-long thing because there weren't enough priests to do the rituals in Singapore and Malaysia," said Chee Tong, 24, who was ordained in 2023. 

Chee Tong also shared that the gates of hell do not actually open during this period, contrary to popular belief. Rather, the misconception came about as Taoist priests would conduct po di yu (hell-breaking) rituals to summon specific spirits from hell to help them. 

"Because the ritual was conducted all over [Singapore and Malaysia], people eventually thought that the hell gates were open," he said. 

Explaining how making offerings to the spirits came about, Chee Tong shared that the seventh month also used to be a month of harvest. 

"When the Chinese people harvested their crops, the first thing they did was offer the best to their ancestors and also pay their respects. 

"Out of compassion, they eventually began making offerings to the wandering spirits without descendants, so that's why offerings are placed along the road." 

What goes into an offering? 

To make an offering to the spirits, Chee Tong said that the essential items are: two candles, incense, food offerings, and some joss paper. 

The two candles, when lit up, create a portal, while the smoke from the incense is used to communicate with the spirits. 

When it comes to food, it's not limited to just the typical fruit and 'cai fan'. 

"It's really based on what you think the spirits would like, so you can even offer bubble tea or potato chips," said Chee Tong. 

"For the joss paper, just a simple one will do, the most important ones are the gold and silver yuan bao (ingots in Chinese)." 

It is believed that the joss paper is a medium for one to transmit their sincerity and well-wishes to the other realm. 

For the convenience of believers, joss paper shops also have pre-packed offerings for believers to purchase during the seventh month. 

One of these shops selling pre-packed joss paper is Fu Man Yuan joss paper store at Block 449 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10.

The shop owner, who wanted to be known only by her surname, Tan, shared that cheapest package starts at $3.50, while the larger ones are priced at $28.80. 

All the packages, which are imported from China, contain joss sticks and candles required for the offerings, and mostly differ by the amount of joss paper included. 

Tan, 60, added that her store also offers corporate packages starting at $188. A price list seen by AsiaOne shows that the largest package costs $1,288. 

"There are some companies who spend about $5,000 on offerings; they believe that whatever they burn will be returned to them," she said. 

Exercising compassion and sincerity 

While some may think that the more joss paper one burns, the better, Tan feels that being sincere is more important. 

Chee Tong also reiterated the need to exercise compassion when making an offering to the spirits. He likened it to making a donation, or doing charity work.

"It shouldn't be done because you're scared that the spirits will disturb you." 

At the heart of it, the seventh lunar month is a period of repentance and filial piety. 

"It's not meant to be scary at all," said Chee Tong.

READ ALSO: 'I'll keep doing it if I can': Meet the 21-year-old behind some of Singapore's 'flower vehicles'

claudiatan@asiaone.com