QUESTION: Do you believe in heaven and hell? In God and Satan?
I used to believe in them until I outgrew the Biblical teachings and claimed a different belief in life. I am convinced that heaven and hell exists on this planet we call earth and you can find your own piece of heaven and your own hell here. It could be a matter of reality, such as living in utter poverty could be hell but giving and receiving love whilst in the midst of utter poverty can also be heaven. Or it could be a state of mind, a condition of the senses, and even a perception as well. But that is just me. I don’t envisage or proselyte anyone to have confidence in what I see as real, opinion or idea. We all have our own little corner in this planet earth.
In Chinese Buddhism, heaven and hell both exist. Hell is an undesirable often-used-to-advocate-fear word and falling below god’s grace place that has long been associated with Christianity. It is also a place in the Netherlands, Norway and the USA (3 in the US to be exact). Wonder how people would react when you say, ‘I actually live in hell…’
The Chinese hell is Diyu, and in other theology and mythology studies they are called: Hades, Underworld, Netherworld, Lower Realm, Tartarus, Inferno, Sheol, Metnal, Jahannam.
When the Gates of Hell are Opened
The Chinese believed that during the 7th month of their calendar which is August for most of us following the Roman calendar, the gates of hades are opened and all the trapped ghosts are released to freely roam the earth and seek for food, material wealth and even entertainment. These ghosts could be any ghost really. They could be your ancestral ghosts, good ghosts, as well as bad ghosts.
So, do you believe in ghosts?
As for me, I am not sure. I fear a man lurking behind me more than a ghost. I always reason out that a breathing human being can hurt and kill me and turn me into a ghost, while a (dead) ghost can try his or her luck at scaring me =)
In order to pay tribute to these wandering ghosts and particularly to each living individual’s deceased loved ones and relatives, Chinese people offer food, and material things as well in the form of Joss paper for burning—paper money, paper houses, paper cars, paper Louis Vuitton or Hermes bag, paper Manolo Blahnik shoes, paper jewelry. I am not kidding. Name it, the Chinese can make Joss paper into any material thing their dead loved ones might fancy bringing with him or her back to the realm of the dead, into the Diyu.
The Chinese also believed that some ghosts come to earth to bring wrath to the living, especially to those that have wronged them in their earlier lives. To counteract these corrupt spirits, they burn Joss paper money and offer food as well in the hopes of pacifying them. This is basically a universal act under Chinese Buddhism of warding off bad luck as well.
Malacca, Malaysia: The Burning
I took the pictures below in Jonker Street, which in essence is part of Chinatown as well, in the late afternoon when shops were closing down and the Chinese Malaysians come out to appease the visiting ghosts.
A lot of passing western tourists were fascinated, wondering what the heck is going on, haha, and I am sure offering a short version of the explanation might just make them all the more amused.
Nevertheless, in no time, Jonker street became a smoking war zone, and further ahead is a big ‘NO SMOKING ZONE’ sign, hehe. OK, this is a one-time cultural and religious event that runs a whole month every year so that perhaps merits an exemption.
Here is a short video I took:
Joo Chiat in Singapore: Food for the Ghosts
These food offerings I saw in Joo Chiat Street in the Eastern Region of Singapore. I was here with my dad one afternoon who was willing to accompany me in my Peranakan houses sighting which I will post in another entry soon as well.
The offering of food to the ghosts are very typical Chinese. I remember the Chinese cemeteries back home in the Philippines where Filipino Chinese families offer food (literally cooked food) to the dead and let them sit on top of the tombs, whilst the local Filipino men in the area try to steal them for midnight snack, only to find out that the food were all bland!
The Chinese for some reason do not put salt in the food. They say the ghosts do not like salt in their food?
Travel Period: August 2013
Destination: Malacca (Malacca), Malaysia | Singapore (Eastern Region), Singapore
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)