The Ghost Festival 中元节

In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm. This year the Ghost Month starts on 20 August and the Ghost Day falls on 3 September. The festival is said to have started in the Liang Dynasty (502-557).

The Ghost Month is also known as the Ghost Festival, Hungry Ghost Festival, Zhongyuan Festival, Yu Lan Pen festival, and a number of other names.

During the Qingming Festival the living descendants pay homage to their ancestors and on Ghost Festival, the deceased visit the living.

It is believed that during this time, the souls of the unborn and that of departed ancestors and friends are released from Purgatory to wander the earth for 30 days. The souls of the dead ignored by relatives may do acts of mischief, so steps must be taken to appease the spirits before they go on a rampage. Hell money, paper offerings and joss sticks are burnt to see to their material needs; food is offered so that the souls do not go hungry and thus less likely to wreck havoc.

According to the Ullambana Sutra, the monk Mu Lian had great magic power. His mother fell into the path of hungry ghosts. All food that entered her month would turn into strong flames which put her in great pain. Mu Lian had no idea on how to save his mother, so he asked Buddha for help. Buddha told him the Yu Lan Pen canon and asked him to save his mother on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month with the help of Yu Lan Pen.

The festival is taken seriously by Chinese all over the world. The reason why the Chinese observe this festival is to remember their dead family members and pay tribute to them. They also feel that offering food to the deceased appeases them and wards off bad luck. In Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, it is a common sight to see entertaining Chinese Opera shows performed on outdoor stages in many neighbourhoods. These events are always held at night. Such entertainment would please those wandering ghosts that come to earth once a year.

And now you should know why Chinese believe the seventh lunar month is a bad month.

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在华人的传统中，农历七月十五是‘鬼日’，而七月就是一般所谓的‘鬼月’。在这个月里，鬼与魂，包括那些过世的祖先们，会从下界跑出来。今年的‘鬼月’由阳历8月20日开始，而‘鬼日’在9月3日。据说这个节日在梁代（502-557）就开始了。

鬼月亦叫‘鬼节’，‘饿鬼节’，‘中元节’，‘盂兰盆节’，和其他一些名字。

清明节是活着的亲人向祖先祭拜的日子，而‘鬼节’是先人访问活人的日子。

一般相信，在这30天里，还没出世的灵魂、过世的祖先与他们的朋友会从下界被释放出来游荡。被亲友忽视的游魂会对他们有恶作剧的行为；所以在还没有造成破坏之前，应该做些令他们高兴的事情。要烧冥纸、香等来满足他们的物质需求；提供食物，这样他们才不会饥饿，他们也就不大可能制造大破坏。

据佛经中的《盂兰盆经》记载:“有目莲僧者，法力宏大。其母堕落饿鬼道中，食物入口，即化为烈焰，饥苦太甚。目莲无法解救母厄，于是求教于佛，为说盂兰盆经，教于七月十五日作盂兰盆以救其母。”

世界各地的华人都认真对待这个节日。华人之所以会庆祝这个节日，是要怀念先人，祭拜他们。他们觉得为死者提供食物会满足他们，驱走厄运。在香港、马来西亚与新加坡，在户外舞台上表演戏剧来娱乐死者是常见的。这些活动通常在夜间举行。这些娱乐会令一年到阳间来一次的游魂高兴。

现在你应该了解为什么华人认为七月是一个不祥之月。

Nuwa Mends the Sky 女娲补天

In Chinese mythology, Nuwa is a mythological character best known for making mankind and repairing the wall of heaven. She had the body of a snake, a human head and the virtue of a divine being.

The book Huainan Zi first recounted how the sky was damaged.

‘In ancient time, while fighting with Zhuan Xu for the Earth leadership and saw that he was losing, Gong Gong angrily smashed his head against Mount Buzhou, a pillar holding up the sky. The pillar collapsed and that rope that connected the sky and earth broken. This caused the sky to tilt towards the northwest and resulted in sun, moon, and stars moving towards the northwest. It also caused the earth to shift to the southeast and resulted in all rivers flowing southeast into the ocean. ’

The book then detailed how Nuwa mended the sky.

‘In ancient times, the four pillars that supported the four corners of the sky collapsed and the nine regions (the world) split open. The sky could not cover all the things under it, nor could the earth carry all the things on it. A great fire raged and would not die out; a fierce flood raced about and could not be checked. Savage beasts devoured innocent people; vicious birds preyed on the weak and old.

Then Nuwa melted rocks of five colours and used them to mend the cracks in the sky. She supported the four corners of the sky with the legs she had cut off from a giant turtle. She killed the black dragon to save the people of Jizhou, and blocked the flood with the ashes of reeds.

Thus the sky was mended, its four corners lifted, the flood tamed, Jizhou pacified, and harmful birds and beasts killed, and the innocent people were able to live on the square earth under the dome of the sky.
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在中国神话中，女娲这个神最为人知的就是造人与补天的故事了。她有蛇的身体，人的头颅与神灵的道德。

《淮南子•天文训》先谈天裂的由来∶

昔者共工与颛顼争为帝，怒而触不周山，天柱折，地维绝。天倾西北，故日月星辰移焉;地不满西南，故水潦尘埃归焉。

《淮南子•览冥训》再叙女娲补天的故事：

往古之时，四极废，九州裂，天不兼覆，地不周载，火滥（liàn）焱而不灭，水浩洋而不息，猛兽食颛民，鸷鸟攫老弱。

于是，女娲炼五色石以补苍天，断鳌足以立四极，杀黑龙以济冀州，积芦灰以止淫水。

苍天补，四极正；淫水涸，冀州平；狡虫死，颛民生；背方州，抱圆天。

Winning the Battle at Your own Court 战胜于朝廷

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, power became decentralized from the King to the feudal lords, also known as dukes of a state. Strident annexations, battles and assimilations between states were typical during this period. Here is a story from ‘Strategies if Warring States’ on how a good official in Qi state influenced his duke to implement virtuous rule.

Zhou Ji of Qi state was more than eight feet tall and he looked handsome. One morning, after putting on his clothes, he looked into the mirror and asked his wife, ‘Do you find Xu of the northern part of the city or me more handsome?’ His wife replied, ‘My dear husband, you are more handsome. How can Xu compare to my husband?’ Xu of the northern part of the city was famous for his good looks in Qi. Ji did not have self-confidence, and again asked his concubine, ‘Do you find Xu or me more handsome?’ The concubine answered, ‘How can Xu compare to my husband?’

On the second day, a guest from the countryside came. They sat down and had a chat. He asked the guest, ‘Do you find Xu or me more handsome?’ The guest replied, ‘Xu is not as handsome as you.’

The next day, Xu came. He stared at Xu for a long time, and confirmed that he was not as handsome as Xu. He looked into the mirror again, and realized the difference was even more. In the evening, he thought about this in the bed, ‘My wife said I was handsome, because she is close to me. The concubine said I was handsome, because she is afraid of me. The guest said I was handsome, because he had a favor to ask of me.’

Therefore he went to the court for an audience with Duke Wei, and said, ‘I know for sure that I am not as handsome as Xu. But because my wife is close to me, my concubine is afraid of me, and my guest had a favor to ask of me, they all said that I was more handsome than Xu. Now, Qi is one thousand square kilometer, and has 120 cities. Of the palace ladies and advisors, all are close you. Of the officials in the court, all are afraid of you. Within four borders of your territory, all have favors to ask of you. Therefore, we can conclude from here my lord has not been receiving the truth from these people.’

The Duke said, ‘Well said.’ He then issued an order, ‘Those who criticize me in front of me for my fault will receive best awards. Those who send a memorandum to admonish me, you will receive good awards. Those who censor and ridicule me in the market and the court, and convey them to me, will receive normal awards.’

Immediately after the order was issued, many subjects come to remonstrate. The gate of the government office was crowded as market. After several months, occasionally, people still came to submit their criticism. After one year, people had no more suggestions for submission.

Other states, such as Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei, heard this and all came to pay tribute to Qi. This is called, ‘Winning the battle at your own court.’
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西周时期，权力旁落到诸侯手中，各国诸侯各自称王。国与国间相并吞、战乱、结盟不断。以下故事选自《战国策》说明好的臣子影响齐王实行仁政。

原邹忌修八尺有余，而形貌昳（yì）丽。朝服衣冠，窥镜，谓其妻曰：‘我孰与城北徐公美？’其妻曰：‘君美甚，徐公何能及君也？’城北徐公，齐国之美丽者也。忌不自信，而复问其妾曰：‘吾孰与徐公美？’妾曰：‘徐公何能及君也？’

旦日，客从外来，与坐谈，问之客曰：‘吾与徐公孰美？’客曰：‘徐公不若君之美也。’

明日，徐公来，孰视之，自以为不如；窥镜而自视，又弗如远甚。暮寝而思之，曰：‘吾妻之美我者，私我也；妾之美我者，畏我也；客之美我者，欲有求于我也。’

于是入朝见威王，曰：‘臣诚知不如徐公美。臣之妻私臣，臣之妾畏臣，臣之客欲有求于臣，皆以美于徐公。今齐地方千里，百二十城，宫妇左右莫不私王，朝廷之臣莫不畏王，四境之内莫不有求于王：由此观之，王之蔽甚矣。’

王曰：‘善。’乃下令：‘群臣吏民能面刺寡人之过者，受上赏；上书谏寡人者，受中赏；能谤讥于市朝，闻寡人之耳者，受下赏。’

令初下，群臣进谏，门庭若市。数月之后，时时而间(jiàn)进。期（jī）年之后，虽欲言，无可进者。

燕、赵、韩、魏闻之，皆朝于齐。此所谓战胜于朝廷。

Han Emperor Liu Bang 汉王刘邦

Liu Bang (256 BC or 247 BC– 195 BC) was the first emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, ruling over China from 202 BC until 195 BC, and one of only a few dynasty founders who emerged from the peasant class.

His life story is recorded in the ‘Records of the Historian’.

Gaozu (Liu Bang) was from Yang Li in Fengyi, Peixian County (today’s Fengxian County). His family name was Liu and his alternative name was Ji. His father was known as Taigong and his mother Liu Yun. On day Yun was resting at a lake side and in her dream she was courted by a divine. At that time, the sky was dark and there were lighting and thunder, and Taikong saw a giant snake coiled around her body. Later Yun was pregnant and gave birth to Liu.

Once, Liu served in the military in Xianyang, capital of Qin. He was very impressed with the pomposity of the guards of honour who accompanied the First Emperor of Qin on his inspection tours. Liu had a long breath and sigh, ‘Ah, what a way to be a man!’

Lu, from a prominent family in Shanfu County (today’s Shanxian, Shandong), was a close friend of the magistrate of Peixian County. Escaping from a family enemy, Lu came to live in Peixian. All prominent people and local gentry in the county turned out to congratulate him on his arrival and settling in their hometown. Xiao He, a county secretary who was there on the day registering gifts received by Lu, told guests, ‘All those with gifts worth less than a thousand dollars please sit outside.’

Liu Bang did not think highly of the local gentry, although he was then only a minor official. He had no money to offer as a gift, but he wrote on the visiting card, ‘A ten thousand dollar gift for the host.’

When Lu was shown the visiting card, he was overwhelmed and so he hurried out of the sitting hall to greet the guest. Lu was good at face-reading. After looking at Liu, Lu was clearly impressed and invited Liu to sit in the hall. Xiao He remarked, ‘Liu is full of empty talk and he seldom completes his tasks.’

Liu behaved in a manner that is disrespectful to other guests by taking the VIP seat without hesitation.

After the feast, Lu asked Liu Bang to stay and said to him, ‘I have been doing face-reading since young. While I have done so many face- readings, I have not seen any face as good as yours. I hope you look after yourself well. If you do not mind, I would like to marry my daughter, Lu Zhi, to you.’

Lu’s wife was angry and complained, ‘You have always wanted our daughter to marry someone special and outstanding so that she can have a good life. The magistrate of Peixian is your friend but you refused to marry her to him. But now you want to marry her to a scoundrel!’ Lu said, ‘it is something that is beyond your understanding.’

So Lu married his daughter to Liu. She later became the Empress Lu who gave birth to Emperor Xiaohui and princess Luyuan.

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刘邦（公元前256或247-195）是中国汉朝的开朝皇帝，于公元前202年至195年统治中国。它是少数农民出身的开朝皇帝。

《史记》记录了的他生平。

高祖，沛丰邑中阳里人，姓刘氏，字季。父曰太公，母曰刘媪。其先刘媪尝息大泽之陂，梦与神遇。是时雷电晦冥，太公往视，则见蛟龙於其上。已而有身，遂产高祖。

高祖常繇咸阳，纵观，观秦皇帝，喟然太息曰：「嗟乎，大丈夫当如此也！」

单父人吕公善沛令，避仇从之客，因家沛焉。沛中豪桀吏闻令有重客，皆往贺。萧何为主吏，主进，令诸大夫曰：「进不满千钱，坐之堂下。」

高祖为亭长，素易诸吏，乃绐为谒曰「贺钱万」，实不持一钱。

谒入，吕公大惊，起，迎之门。吕公者，好相人，见高祖 状貌，因重敬之，引入坐。萧何曰：「刘季固多大言，少成事。」

高祖因狎侮诸客，遂坐上坐，无所诎。

酒阑，吕公因目固留高祖。高祖竟酒，後。吕公曰：「臣少 好相人，相人多矣，无如季相，愿季自爱。臣有息女，愿为季箕帚妾。」

酒罢，吕媪怒吕公曰：「公始常欲奇此女，与贵人。沛令善公，求之不与，何自妄许与刘季？」吕公曰：「此非儿女子所知也。」

卒与刘季。吕公女乃吕后也，生孝惠帝、鲁元公主。

The Exemplary Act of Shi 史某善事

The following story is from ‘Gossips from the Micro-reading Hall’.

There was a Mr Shi living in the village of Xian, can’t remember his name now. This gentleman was broadminded and righteous on major principles. He seldom bothered himself with minor financial matters.

One day he made a small killing at the casino and was on his way home. He saw a villager, his wife and a new born baby hugging and crying in deep sorrow. Mr Shi made inquiry and was told that this family had owed thirty taels of gold to the loan shark, was unable to repay and had to sell the wife to settle the debt. And as the baby was still being fed on his mother’s breast milk, the separation was all the more painful.

Mr Shi asked about the agreed sale price of the wife and was told that it was fifty taels of gold. He also asked whether that was redeemable with cash and was told that it was still possible. On hearing that, he took out his winnings of seventy taels of gold and gave them to the villager telling him to repay the loan, redeem his wife and start a business with the reminder.

The villager was so beholden to Shi that they invited him to their house for dinner and drink. After the meal, the village carried the baby out and gestured his wife to entertain Shi for the night. Shi when learned of this proposal from the lady was furious. He said that he had been morally unblemished throughout his life and would never dream of taking advantage of someone else’s wife while that person was in distress; such conduct was not only immoral but also debased. He left in anger without saying further.

Half month later, a fire broke out around Shi’s house. It was the dry season after harvest time and all the households stacked the harvested dried hay on their roofs. The fire therefore spread rapidly to engulf the whole area. Shi was caught in the house with his wife and son. Fire was raging around them on all sides and escape seemed impossible. Then someone shouted on the roof top, ‘There is an urgent order from the god of the eastern mountain. Spare the members of the Shi family.’ Soon after this a wall on the eastern side of Shi’s house collapsed and Shi ran out with his wife and son to safety.

The whole village was razed to the ground. His neighbours remarked after the fire, ‘We were all laughing at his stupidity when he donated the entire winnings on a family in distress. Now it would appear that the donated charity had saved him three lives instead.’

In my humble opinion, the god of the eastern mountain rewarded him partly for his monetary assistance to the family in distress, may be up to the extent of only forty per cent. The remaining sixty per cent was to reward him for his exemplary conduct in rejecting the sexual offer made by the grateful family.

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献县史某，佚其名。为人不拘小节，而落落有直气，视龌龊者蔑如也。

偶从博场归，见村民夫妇子母相抱泣。其邻人曰：为欠豪家债，鬻妇以偿，夫妇故相得，子又未离乳，当弃之去，故悲耳。史问所欠几何，曰：三十金；所鬻几何，曰：五十金与人为妾；问可赎乎？曰：券甫成金尚未付，何不可赎。即出博场所得七十金授之，曰：三十金偿债，四十金持以谋生，勿再鬻也。

夫妇德史甚，烹鸡留饮，酒酣，夫抱儿出，以目示妇，意令荐枕以报。妇颔之。语稍狎，史正色曰：史某半世为盗，半世为捕役，杀人曾不眨眼。若危急中污人妇女，则实不能为。饮啖讫，掉臂径去，不更一言。

半月后所居村夜火，时秋获方毕，家家屋上屋下柴草皆满，茅檐秫篱，斯须四面皆烈焰，度不能出，与妻子瞑坐待死。恍惚闻屋上遥呼曰：东岳有急牒，史某一家并除名。攖然有声，后壁半圯。乃左挈妻右抱子，一跃而出，若有翼之者。

火熄后计一村之中，癵死者九。邻里皆合掌曰：昨尚窃笑汝痴，不意七十金乃赎三命。

余谓此事佑于司命，捐金之功十之四，拒色之功十之六。