{"id":11575,"date":"2023-08-16T14:13:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T06:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/blog\/singapore\/?p=11575"},"modified":"2024-12-07T18:34:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T10:34:36","slug":"7-things-avoid-hungry-ghost-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/7-things-avoid-hungry-ghost-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things to avoid during the Hungry Ghost Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Many ancient cultures speak of a time when the dead returned to visit the living. Mexico has the Day of the Dead, the United States has Halloween, and Starbucks has all-week pumpkin-spiced lattes. For us here in Singapore, when the Hungry Ghost Month\/ Festival is upon us, there are plenty of taboo things to avoid doing. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Remember, all it takes is one mention in a Russell Lee book to tank your property value!<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1. No wearing of red clothes<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In Chinese culture, red is the colour most attractive to ghosts. It\u2019s believed that if you bury a murdered or wronged person in red clothes, they will return for revenge.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you wear red, any ghostly relatives visiting you may decide <\/span>you\u2019re<\/span><\/i> the go-to person to get in touch with. Best to err on the side of caution and avoid wearing red garments during the Hungry Ghost Festival!<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2. Avoid swimming pools<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Some ghosts are mischievous. They\u2019re bored with what lies beneath and will try to harass you while you\u2019re in the water. This can range from tickling you to making you see visions underwater, to giving you cramps and drowning you.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Some of these jerks <\/span>still <\/span><\/i>don\u2019t have a life after all this time. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Don’t smash insects in your home<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This is from the belief that your ancestors may reincarnate as different animals, and come back to visit you. The itsy-bitsy spider you squish might be your returned grand-aunt, and the mosquito you slap aside may be your returned great-great-grandfather. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For the period of the Hungry Ghost Festival at least, let\u2019s call a truce between humans and insects.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

4. Avoid major renovations<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This is probably related to some form of nostalgia or respect for the past. A long time ago, families would reside in the same home for generations. Nonetheless, the tradition continues: renovating during the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival\u00a0is considered bad luck.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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The noise of drilling and hammering attracts the spirits, and you know what they say about the nail that sticks out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Also, changing the layout of the house confuses the spirits of those who used to stay there. This might anger them, and may bring a dark aura to the house. Ghosts are pretty much like tenants after the first year, in that respect.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you can\u2019t avoid renovating your place during this time, though, it\u2019s a good practice to offer incense each morning before <\/span>your contractors<\/span><\/a> start work. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Be sure to also have your contractors cease work and leave your home before the sun sets each day.<\/span> The spirits will be mighty pleased if the workers can adhere to HDB’s permitted timings for noisy renovations (9 am to 5 pm on weekdays).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Read this: Here\u2019s a comprehensive list of HDB renovation guidelines. <\/a><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Meanwhile, if you're not superstitious, here are some properties to consider <\/h4>\n
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