Día de Los Muertos, Mexico’s Day of the Dead, is a worldwide marvel that honors the departed.
Around the world, other cultures pay respect to the dead through their own traditions. Whether it’s to help the departed move on from the material plain or to show them respect, each tradition projects remembrance.
The Festival of the Hungry Ghosts – China
In China, this festival is a month-long traditional holiday with religious significance to Buddhism and Taoism. However, this isn’t as joyous of a day and is more of a threatening Day of the Dead.
During this one month, the gates of Hell open and the ghosts freely walk the Earth.
The main concern is ‘hungry ghosts’, ghosts that have no descendants or have a family with knowledge of their death. They could also be restless ghosts of strangers, uncared-for deceased, or those who didn’t receive a proper burial, were murdered, or committed suicide.
Hungry ghosts are depicted as having long and skinny necks because their living descendants provided no food for them. They’re mischievous and wicked ghosts that seek worldly pleasures.
It’s possible that they seek revenge on those that harmed them when they lived. Only when they’re content will they not cause any trouble to the faithful living.
The day of the festival is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, from the 15th day of the seventh month till the last day of the month.
Origin
The festival has an unknown origin. The story differs between Buddhists and Taoists.
The Taoists focus on appeasing the wandering souls and the Buddhists emphasize the virtue of respect for one’s parents, eldest, and ancestors (filial piety).
Taoists
Taoists believe three deities control mankind’s fate:
- Tian Guan Da Di, the Ruler of Heaven, grants happiness.
- Di Guan Da Di, the Ruler of Earth, pardons sins.
- Shui Guan Da Di, the Ruler of Water, alleviates dangers.
The 15th day of the seventh month is the birthday of Di Guan Da Di. He descends to Earth and records the good and evil deeds of each human being.
When the gates of Hell open, hungry ghosts search for food. Priests perform rites and make good offerings while devotees repent their sins. They pray for happiness and avoidance of disasters, thus, the Zhongyuan Festival (中元節).
Buddhists
Buddhists celebrate the month as the Yu Lau Pan Festival (盂蘭盆節). It refers to a container filled with offerings to save one’s ancestors from the suffering of purgatory.
Its origin is from the legend of Mu Lian, a disciple of Buddha, who saved his mother from Hell.
His mother, a vegetarian, unknowingly consumed meat soup, an act that condemned her to Hell. Mu Lian found his mother and saw that she was among the hungry ghosts. He tried to save her with food offerings, but, unfortunately, it didn’t end well because of two possible occurrences:
- The other hungry ghosts grabbed the food.
- The food turned into flaming coals before it reached her mouth.
Mu Lian sought help from Buddha, who taught Mu Lian to make offerings through special prayer and food. After the offering, his mother ascended from a hungry ghost. Hence, the emphasis on filial piety.
Traditions
The Chinese burn faux month outside of their homes and businesses, alongside roads and fields, or in temples. It gives the ghost money they might need during their special month.
Wearing red, black, or white clothes outside of one’s home is unlucky. Women don’t wear heels, only flat shoes. High-heeled shoes leave the heels exposed, making women vulnerable to spirit possession through the energy point below the ankles.
On the First Day…
After lighting incense, food sacrifices are offered to the ghosts. By eating the sacrifices and holding the money, the ghosts won’t commit any terrible acts or curse the followers.
Street and market ceremonies are where people gather to celebrate the festival. The monks organize festive activities during Temple ceremonies.
On the Last Day…
The gates of Hell close.
The burned paper money and clothing are for the ghosts to use in the afterlife, and pictures and templates of ancestors are put away.
To drive away the ghosts, Taoist monks chant and, because the ghosts hate the sound, they scream and wail.
In the evening, a Chinese opera holds impromptu performances on temporary stages. The front-row seats are reserved for the ghosts. Then, the lit lanterns on little boats float down a river for the ghosts to follow.
Taboos
With traditions come warnings.
Stay away from the water to prevent an evil ghost from drowning you.
Roaming ghosts are strongest at night, so it’s best not to stay out late. If you do, there’s a higher chance of being possessed by a ghost or falling ill. Whistling at night only attracts ghosts.
Cameras trap ghosts. Taking pictures, including selfies, is a way of asking ghosts to stay longer.
If there’s a wedding during the month, bitter ghosts will curse it and the marriage will be destined to fail. Additionally, the ghosts will occupy temporary empty places at the wedding.
Obon (お盆) – Japan
From the Sanskrit word ullambana, meaning ‘to hand upside down’, Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor ancestral spirits. Ullambana implies unbearable pain and suffering and the festival is to free the ancestors’ spirits of their pain.
The festival lasts three days, but the dates vary in different regions of Japan. At the beginning of the Meiji era, the lunar calendar changed to Gregorian. The locals showed different reactions to the change and, as a result, three different days came for one festival:
- Shichigatsu Bon (Bon in July) is around July 15th in Eastern Japan.
- Hachigatsu Bon (Bon in August) is on August 15th, the most common day celebrated.
- Kyu Bon (Old Bon) is on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
Although it’s a special occasion, these days aren’t public holidays. It’s customary that people are given leave to return to their hometowns.
It’s an invitation for the dead to return, a time for spirits to revisit the material world.
Legend
The ritual is based on the Sâkyamuni Buddhist teachings in the Urabon Sutra.
The legend in the Sutra is about Monkuren Sonja.
Sonja was a disciple and priest known for his supernatural powers. He uses his supernatural power when meditating with his mother, who was tormented by hungry ghosts.
After taking the advice of Sâkyamuni, Sonja gave an offering to fellow priests who completed their summer retreat. It freed his mother and they danced joyously.
Traditions
Houses are cleaned before the holiday starts. A variety of food and offerings are placed at the butsudan, a Buddhist altar.
A yukata is an informal cotton kimono, usually worn in the summer. Men and women wear the yukata for the festival, but it’s more common to see women wearing it.
Day One
Chochin (paper lanterns) are lit and brought to family gravesites to call the ancestors back home, also known as mukae-ban.
In some regions, mukae-bi (fires) are lit at the entrances of homes to guide spirits.
Lanterns and flower arrangements are placed as another offering altar.
Day Two
A folk dance called Bon Odori takes place. The styles of the dance vary among regions, with Japanese taiko drums keeping the rhythm. It typically takes place in parks, gardens, shrines, or temples.
The dance is done wearing a yukata and anyone can take part.
Toro nagashia (floating lanterns) each has a lit candle inside that stays alight as the lanterns float down a river that runs to the ocean. This is a symbolic send-off of the ancestors’ spirits to the sky in a beautiful display.
Day Three
Families assist in returning their ancestors’ spirits to the grave. They hang lanterns, painted with the family crest, to guide the souls to their eternal resting place.
The third day is the last day of Japan’s Day of the Dead.
Chuseok (추석) – Korea
Meaning ‘Autumn Eve’, it’s one of the biggest and most significant celebrations in North and South Korea.
It’s equivalent to a Korean Thanksgiving as a three-day harvest festival. People live in the cities and head toward the home of their upbringing.
Families gather to share food and stories, spend time with each other, and give thanks to their ancestors for their blessings.
Korea’s Day of the Dead is near the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. It takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Korean lunar calendar.
Traditions
On the morning of the celebrations, people gather for the charye services. Families prepare offerings for their ancestors, such as sangpyeou (half-moon rice cakes), alcohol, and freshly harvested rice.
After the memorial services, the family gathers and enjoys the food.
Seongmyo is the visiting of ancestral graves. It shows appreciation and respect for one’s ancestors. Weeds are removed around the graves and, after, a simple memorial service is held.
This is a celebration of abundance and harvest. People engage in various folk games and entertainment, such as two famous dances:
- Talchum, a masked dance.
- Ganggangsullae, a circle dance where women dressed in hanbok join hands and sing together.
For the festival, the clothes worn are traditional hanbok or the appropriate dress. This is a respectful form of dressing, especially when visiting a parents’ home with gifts. Children bow before their parents and wish them a healthy and prosperous life.
The first son of each household sets and prepares the table for the family’s ancestors. The family prepares three to five rows of dishes that include rice, hot soup, various Korean dishes and soup, chestnuts, beef, fish, and traditional drinks and desserts.
In South Korea, modesty is key to gift-giving. Locals feel obligated to reciprocate with a gift of similar value. Therefore, it’s in poor taste to give expensive gifts.
Knives and scissors aren’t acceptable gifts because they symbolize the end of a relationship. Items with red writing and in sets of four are associated with death.
The idea is to show appreciation through meaning and modest gifts.
North Korea
Celebrating traditional holidays in North Korea only began in the mid-1980s.
Most people don’t have family gatherings. Some try to visit their ancestors’ gravesites, especially the working class. However, social and economic issues often prevent these visits.
Due to the bad infrastructure of public transport, it’s close to impossible to visit gravesites and families.
Only the middle and elite classes can enjoy the holiday as they want and travel freely. They celebrate the Day of the Dead as intended.
Pitru Paksha (पितृ पक्ष) – India
This is the ‘fortnight of the ancestors’ and is celebrated among Hindus.
Their Day of the Dead lasts for 16 days during the Indian lunar month of Asvina (corresponds with September and October).
Based on India’s oldest scripture, the Rig Veda, this is a powerful occasion for honoring the dead. The living show them gratitude for their legacies of wisdom, protection, love, and material wealth.
According to Vedic traditions, ‘ancestors’ refers to parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, but they also honor departed family members, relatives, and friends.
This is a time to reflect on Sidda Yoga teachings:
- The value of human birth.
- The bond that exists among all living things.
- Recognition that life isn’t limited to the body.
- Our connection to our loved ones transcends this physical realm.
Karta
A family member, usually the eldest son or daughter, performs vital rituals. The exception is on matamata, a specific day out of the 16 days when the eldest daughter performs the rituals.
Purifying Bath
The family member performing the rituals must take part in the purifying bath before doing so. After, they wear ceremonial clothing to perform the rituals and make offerings. This shows respect to the ancestors and current priests and ensures the offerings are pure.
Brahmin Bhoj
Brahmin is a priest, spirited teacher or protector of learning. They are the highest class in the Indian caste system. Hindus offer Brahmin food and drink to show honor and collect blessings.
Pind Daan
A post-death ceremony is a crucial, mandatory part of Hindu death rites. This is based on the Hindu believe that a human soul remains in the material world after death and stops it from reaching peace.
Family members, usually a son or daughter, offer sesame seeds mixed with rice and water to their ancestors. This is a wish for the soul to move on from the material plain and find salvation, a final goodbye.
Worshipping the Gods
After Pind Daan, Hindus pray to Vishnu, the Preservers, Yama, the God of Death and King of the Ancestors.
The Karta offers food on the roof of a home or building. If a crow, which represents the Gods messenger, arrives and eats the food, the gods accept the gift. Crows and dogs also receive offerings.
Reciting names
Savapitri Amavasya is when the Karta (head of the family) recites the names of all deceased family members within three generations. It reinforces familial and ancestral ties throughout history.
Food and Drink
The food prepared is what the departed once enjoyed, along with additional and traditional offerings. The Karta prepares the traditional foods that they serve on banana leaves or other dried leaves. Hindus only eat after a cow, dog, Brahmin (if present) and crow eat.
Rules
There are various rules for India’s Day of the Dead, such as:
- No auspicious work.
- Don’t indulge in bad practices, such as smoking or consuming alcohol.
- Any creature at your door should be welcomed and given food.
The Significance of ‘Day of the Dead’
The Day of the Dead is celebrated in remembrance and gratitude for the path laid by the ancestors. People are able to understand an array of cultures and beliefs and how their traditions came to be.
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”
-Gustav Mahler.
thanks for this