History and Origin
历史和起源
The beginnings of the Ghost Festival come from Buddhist and Taoist roots. It’s origin traces back to a very old story from ancient China called: Mu-lien Saves His Mother from Hell 目連救母
Mulian was a devout Buddhist monk whose commitment to his faith grew resentment in his widowed mother, so much so that whenever monks asked her for food or offerings, she’d refuse.
木莲 是位虔诚的和尚，他对信仰的承诺引起了他寡居母亲的不满，以至于每当修士向她索要食物或奉献时，她都会拒绝。
Because of her stinginess, she was sent to hell after passing away. Not only was she tortured with heavy loads of work, but her neck was constricted like a needle, making it hard to swallow food. She was a hungry ghost.
由于她的小气，她去世后被送入地狱。她不仅承受着繁重的工作折磨，而且脖子像针一样紧缩，难以吞咽食物。她是一个饥饿的幽灵。
Mulian sought advice from the Buddha, who instructed him to make offerings of food and new robes to the monks. As a display of gratitude, the monks prayed and fasted for Mulian’s mother who was then reborn as a human, ending her hunger.
木莲向佛陀征求意见，佛陀指示佛陀向僧侣供奉食物和新袍。为了表示感谢，僧侣为木莲的母亲祈祷并禁食，木莲的母亲后来重生，消除了饥饿。
Ever since then, a Buddhist festival has been held on the 14th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, where hungry ghosts are freed from hell and fed. During the festival, the tale of Mulian is retold in family gatherings and other venues. Historical records show evidence of ancestor worship first started in the pre-Qin period around 2100-221 BC. It was later decided that the festival would to be on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar every year, which usually falls on the first full moon day in autumn.
The reason why the festival takes place during the 14th is because it is in the middle of the month when it's presumed spirits are the most hungry, so people prepare feasts to satisfy them.
If their hunger is satisfied, then they would not feast on the family members and no accident or bad luck would befall the family. Their specific hunger varies according to their past karma and the sins they are atoning for. Some can eat but find it impossible to find food or drink. Others may find food and drink, but have pinhole mouths and cannot swallow. For others, food bursts into flames or rots even as they devour it.