Hungry Ghost Festival - Office 'Colleague'

A friend of mine, Michelle, related this story to me which happened to her at her workplace. Michelle works in a large logistic company in Klang, Malaysia. As a purchasing executive, she always gets bog down by her workload as there will be plenty of purchasing orders coming in everyday and she needs to deal with customers as well as suppliers. As such, Michelle works overtime after working hours till late night to finish off her work.

During the Chinese 7th lunar month every year, most of Michelle’s colleagues will normally opt to go home earlier than usual. This is because it so happened that older staffs had experienced strange things around the office that goes bump at night particularly during the 7th month and they are definitely not going to stick around to accompany those ‘brothers’. Michelle was aware of the stories but did not experienced any strange happenings and the office was a comfortable place to work in.

One year during the particular 7th month, Michelle was staying back late to finish off her outstanding workload. By 9pm, the last of her colleague, Lee, had left for home. Lee called out to Michelle across the room that he will be going back and jokingly told her not to worry as there are unseen ‘people’ (ghosts) inside the office that will be accompanying her. Michelle chided at the joke and not being so superstitious, she continued with her work.

Michelle was so well engrossed into her work that before she knew it, it was already close to 11pm. She scolded herself for being such a workaholic and sat back on her chair to relax a bit and closed her eyes. As soon as she closes her eyes, she began to hear the sound of someone typing away on a computer keyboard a few cubicles away. Thinking it was someone that might have returned back to the office while she was deeply absorbed in her work; Michelle stood up and glanced around, however there was no one in the office to be seen. She then called out to whoever it was but no one responded and the sound of typing is still clearly heard.

Michelle got up and walked towards the source of where the typing sound came from; then as sudden as the sound started, it stopped. Startled, Michelle begun to feel tense, she felt something was not right and all the stories that her colleagues had told her about the ghost in the office started to run through her head. Michelle quickly walk back to her place and started to pack up to go home.

While packing, Michelle’s phone suddenly rang. She jumped up at the sudden ring of the phone and looked at the caller ID. To her utter shock, she saw that the caller ID was coming from inside the office! Someone was trying to intercom her and the number indicated that it was from her manager’s room. She looked up through the glass panel that separated her manager’s room and her cubicle. The room was all pitched dark. And out of her imagination, Michelle swore that there was a dark figure seen sitting at her manager’s place!

Michelle immediately grabbed her stuff and ran out of the office as fast as she could, behind her she could sensed that the lights in her office flickered away instantly when she ran out. She informed the security officer to shut off all the lights in the office and before the security officer can wish her good night, Michelle had quickly driven away.

After that incident, Michelle did not dare to stay late in the office anymore unless there is someone around to accompany her, she would rather take her work back home even though it is not so convenient. It definitely is better than working the office with an unseen ‘colleague’.

Hungry Ghost Festival - Uninvited Passenger

This happened to me last year during the Chinese Hungry Ghost month in 2008 while I was travelling back to my hometown in Kuantan.

I remember is was a long weekend ahead (Monday off day), hence I decided to head back to Kuantan once I had finished with my work on the Friday so that I can wake up the next morning and meet up with my friends for some breakfast. It was about 11pm when I was driving my Honda City somewhere along the Karak Highway. For those who know this, Karak Highway is famous for is frequently haunting including the appearance of Pontianak and the infamous haunted tunnel where many people had perished.

I was aware of all these haunted ‘hotspots’ but the joy of looking forward to going back to my hometown overcame the feeling of fear of travelling alone and encountering spirits. After all, I thought to myself, I wouldn’t be so lucky today… How wrong was I to think of that!...

My first weird instinct came when I was driving through the Karak Highway tunnel. Suddenly I feel someone’s legs pushing against the back of the driver’s seat on my back, it was the kind of feeling you get when a person with long legs sits behind you and occasionally he will push against the cushion with his knee when adjusting his seating. I looked behind the rear view mirror but there was no one sitting behind me. Of course there is no one! I am travelling alone! What was I thinking?

A minute later, the same thing happen, something pushed against the back of the driver’s seat for a while and released it after a few seconds. It was at that point that I suspect that I had picked up an uninvited ‘stranger’. There was no where I can go now; I am travelling in the middle of a half deserted highway with whoever it was behind me! When the third time I felt the pressure on my back, I felt panicky as I was in a car with an unknown being, who knows what it is going to do next to me?

Out of frustration and fear, I loudly shouted some foul language in Chinese to ask it not to disturb me and all of sudden I saw my car’s door safety lights came on my dashboard display indicating that the right back door was opened. I was shocked as none of the doors where opened and as soon as the warning lights came on, the lights went off.

That was enough for me; I stepped on the accelerator and reached my destination half an hour than scheduled. I am definitely not stopping at the side of the highway to inspect what is behind my seat. The next day I went to the temple to get some amulets and placed it in my car. I related my ordeal to a medium at the temple and he said that I had picked up a lost spirit, the spirit was harmless and all it wanted was a ride to his destination. I almost fainted when I heard that.

Hungry Ghost Festival - The "DO NOTs": What To Avoid

As stated in my previous blog, today (3rd September 2009) marks the 15th day of the Chinese Lunar 7th month and it is also known as ”The Hungry Ghost Day”. On this day, the three realms of Heaven, Hell and the realm of the living are open and all the spiritual beings will be let lose and free to walk in our world today. Therefore, the percentage of bumping into them is going to be higher. Heck! One maybe standing behind you while you are reading this blog! Or even behind me while I am happily posting away!

In this post I am going to share with you some of the “DO NOTs” during this month and especially today! For those that don’t believe in ghost or spirits, please note that precaution is better than cure. You don’t want to mess with them alright.

DO NOT Step On Or Kick Praying Items And Temporary Altars By The Roadside.
During the Chinese lunar 7th month, you will see lots of people praying and offering food and burning materials beside the road. These things are meant to appease for the dead. Be very careful of what you are stepping on and it is best to go around a spot where there are offerings rather then walk through it. How will you feel if someone steps or kicks your food while you are eating or step on his clothes or even money? You would want to beat the S*it out of that guy, right? Same goes for the spirits, they are once human too. If you happen to accidentally stepped on them, apologise right away! If you get them angry, I am not sure what they can do.

DO NOT Stand Under Trees Or Under The Bus Stop During Night Time.
Normally, it is dark and cold under the tree shade and bus stop. Those ‘things’ love these kind of conditions and would normally rest and under this kind of conditions. If you have low spiritual energy on that day, it will follow you back home.

Especially For Ladies: DO NOT Use And Avoid Dark or Black Color Manicure
Ladies, if you love painting your nails, please choose light colour coat for your nails during this period. This is because dead people normally have dark-coloured nails and if you happen to bump into one of them, they might think you are one of them and you are a pretty chic, it may follow you back home.

DO NOT Place Your Baby Or Kid On The Altar/Offering Table When Visiting Or Praying To The Hungry Ghosts.
There was a case where a mother took her baby to a hungry ghost offering event, the mother suddenly dropped something while she was carrying her baby and place the baby temporarily on the offering altar while she picked up her stuff. After she got up, the baby had died and turned black. It was said that the King of Ghost thought that it was an offering for him and “ate” the baby.

DO NOT Sit On the Front Row of Any Open Chinese Operas Or Karaokes
During this month long festival, you will see that there would be lots of open Chinese opera shows and karaoke singing on makeshift stages. These shows are mainly entertainment for the stray ghosts and lost souls, and normally the front few rows of seats are reserved for the VIPs (spirits). Do not sit at any front row and it is better to stand and watch rather than seated. You will definitely feel annoyed when someone comes to ask your seat number when you are watching a movie in a cinema, right? Moreover, sit on you!

DO NOT Speed And Be Extra Careful On The Road While Driving
There is always a high rate of road accident fatalities during the first day of the Chinese 7th lunar month in Kuala Lumpur. You may argue that it is due to the recklessness of the drivers, but why does the 1st day of the 7th month always have more accidents? Why not the day before or week before? There would normally be more overcast weather and frequent rain showers during this month.

DO NOT Hang Your Laundry Outside After Sunset
It is know that the spirits will wear your clothes so when you bring it in, you will be sharing your clothes with them.

DO NOT Go Swimming Or Hang Out Late At Night
The water spirits had been released and they will roam in any places with water in it. Hence, it is wise not to go swimming during this 7th month. In addition to this, it is advisable not to roam the streets or go out partying till the wee hours of the morning, ghosts are especially more active during the night and you will definitely not want to bump into any of them, or step on their offerings when you are half drunk...

Well, here is my list of what to be careful of and what “DO NOT” to beware of during the hungry ghost month! I would definitely be staying at home for the whole of the 7th month which will last until the 18th September 2009.

Hungry Ghost Festival - Ghost In The Kitchen

This was told to me by my uncle, Rex, during his younger days in the village back in Penang. Uncle Rex stayed in a big wooden village house with 3 other families living in the same house.

During one year on a day in the Hungry Ghost Month (7th month of the Chinese lunar calendar), uncle Rex experienced something that he will not forget for the rest of his life.

It was a hot and humid night and after helping out with some food offerings for the hungry ghosts outside the house, all the family members went to bed. On that night, uncle Rex could not fall asleep. As he was rolling around on his bed, he suddenly heard some weird noises coming out from the kitchen. Uncle Rex’s room was located such that it was next to the kitchen and the room was shared together with his siblings.

The noises from the kitchen sounds like someone was scavenging or looking for something. Out of curiosity, uncle Rex thought it was one of the family members trying to satisfy his/her hunger and he cheekily thought that since he could not sleep, he might as well play some pranks on whoever it was and scare the living daylights out of that person.

Trying not to wake his siblings up, Uncle Rex quietly opened his bedroom door and peered into the kitchen. On the far end of the kitchen, he saw a dark figure fumbling on some food and eating something. Carefully, uncle Rex got down on the floor and crawled commando-style towards the person, chuckling to himself that this is definitely going to be an unforgettable and amusing moment.

As he got closer to the dining table, where he was planning to hide under before his "attack", uncle Rex smelled a foul stench; it was something like rotting flesh. Thinking it was some leftover food from the nearby dustbin; he did not take heed and continue his commando crawl beneath the dining table.

Then, as uncle Rex was about to jump out to scare the hell out of whomever it was, his blood froze. From under the dining table, uncle Rex was able to see the feet of this 'person'. His, or IT'S feet, does not resembles that of a human’s and it looks something like horse hooves.

Uncle Rex was so terrified with what he saw and while panicking, he banged his head hardly on the bottom of the dining table and quickly darted out from beneath the dining table. He glanced towards the figure and saw that the creature had long hair but no face! He screamed in horror and the being suddenly disappeared.

All the family members woke up to the commotion caused by uncle Rex. They scolded him for trying to wake up the whole neighbourhood and for causing a mess in the kitchen. Poor uncle Rex tried to explain what he saw but was scolded even more for creating nonsensical stories to frighten others.

However, one unexplainable rationale was there was a plate of raw chicken meat placed on the kitchen counter that had been prepared to be cooked tomorrow to be offered to the hungry ghosts. Half of the prepared raw meat had been missing and some portion of the meat is strewn on the floor.

Was the figure that uncle Rex saw a hungry ghost looking for food? Perhaps it couldn’t wait for the food to be cooked and served...