According to traditional Chinese beliefs the seventh lunar month is considered to be the Ghost Month, this time is filled with ancient superstitions, rituals and customs.
The "ghostly" activities of the seventh lunar month climax on the 15th day - on which falls the Hungry Ghost Festival.
According to the Chinese on the 15th day the gates of heaven and hell are held open and the dead are free to roam about in the realm of the living.
Therefore many Buddhists and Taoists all over China conduct a series of rituals throughout the Ghost Month to appease the dead and to ease the sufferings of their ancestors in the realm of the dead.
In the city of Tianjin a number of rituals are conducted in temples and altars similar to the rest of China.
The Ghost Month is supposedly a bad time for businesses and many businessmen in Tianjin avoid entering into new agreements during this period.
The month is also considered unlucky for new homeowners and newly married couples.
For those that are highly superstitious this month is a time of quiet reflection and they avoid making unnecessary journeys, instead opting to stay at home and pray.
Among the rituals that are practiced are offering food to the dead at altars constructed by the side of the street, burning incense in their honor at the temple and making papier-mâché offerings of various items such as clothes, food and even vehicles.
The Chinese also make small paper boats with tiny lanterns and release them into rivers; this is done to give direction to the ghosts in their afterlife.
The Ghost Month is celebrated by the Chinese wherever in the world they may be and in places like Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia the festival takes on a rather joyful tone with concerts and dance performances being held on the streets.
A guest at a luxury hotel Tianjin during this month may come across locals who partake in religious worship.
The "ghostly" activities of the seventh lunar month climax on the 15th day - on which falls the Hungry Ghost Festival.
According to the Chinese on the 15th day the gates of heaven and hell are held open and the dead are free to roam about in the realm of the living.
Therefore many Buddhists and Taoists all over China conduct a series of rituals throughout the Ghost Month to appease the dead and to ease the sufferings of their ancestors in the realm of the dead.
In the city of Tianjin a number of rituals are conducted in temples and altars similar to the rest of China.
The Ghost Month is supposedly a bad time for businesses and many businessmen in Tianjin avoid entering into new agreements during this period.
The month is also considered unlucky for new homeowners and newly married couples.
For those that are highly superstitious this month is a time of quiet reflection and they avoid making unnecessary journeys, instead opting to stay at home and pray.
Among the rituals that are practiced are offering food to the dead at altars constructed by the side of the street, burning incense in their honor at the temple and making papier-mâché offerings of various items such as clothes, food and even vehicles.
The Chinese also make small paper boats with tiny lanterns and release them into rivers; this is done to give direction to the ghosts in their afterlife.
The Ghost Month is celebrated by the Chinese wherever in the world they may be and in places like Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia the festival takes on a rather joyful tone with concerts and dance performances being held on the streets.
A guest at a luxury hotel Tianjin during this month may come across locals who partake in religious worship.