The 3 Important Festivals celebrated by Chinese Taoists

‘QingMing’, Dragon Boat Festival and Hungry Ghosts Festival are the 3 important festivals celebrated by Taoists in Singapore.

 

‘QingMing’ is a festival which Chinese Taoists pray to their deceased ancestors once a year during the third month of the Lunar calendar. During this time all the tombstones in the cemetery will be swept clean before praying and offering of food to their ancestors.  For those that are cremated, their descendants will go to the temples to offer their prayers and offerings. Offerings does not only include food but also paper clothes, paper shoes and even paper jewellery. At the end of the prayer these paper offerings will be burnt so that their deceased ancestors would receive them in the nether world.

 

The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the Lunar calendar month. On this day, dumplings made of glutinous rice with meat, wrapped with bamboo leaves are then boiled for a few hours, are offered to the deceased ancestors. To add to this festival, you can see dragon boats racing with one another on the sea. The paddlers are seated in neat rows and happily paddling their oars and moving fast forward. This is so exciting when you happen to be strolling along the beach catching the live show.

 

The Hungry Ghosts Festival falls on the seventh month of the Lunar calendar month. During this whole month the dead are released and wander around. As usual, offerings are being prepared, but most importantly, prayers must be outside the house. The reason is that all Taoists’ houses have their talisman stuck above their doors for safety purpose. As such, the ghosts are afraid to enter on seeing the talisman.  This particular festival is quite different from the rest of the festivals. Around every corner of the void deck of every high-rising flats, you will surely see a table with candles lit up and food for offering. This is actually meant for the ghosts to eat. These offerings will be displayed until the last day of the seventh month. Everything will be cleared before midnight as the next day will be new day in the eight month. Operas performing on the streets is a form of entertainment for the deceased to enjoy. Dinner too is held for those participating members who donated. On the stage, biddings for various items add to this limelight. During the dinner, people will bid for the items and the top bidder will get to have the item. Payment has to be made immediately or next year before the next celebration.

 

These three festivals have been going on for many decades even until today.