According to Chinese tradition, in the month of the annual ghost festival, ghosts are allowed out to wander about. To guide straying ghosts back to land, some Taiwanese released water lanterns and offerings to the sea.
At Taiwan’s northern harbor of Keelung, paper-made boats known as water lanterns were burned to celebrate the hungry ghost festival.
According to Chinese tradition, during ghost month, the door of the underworld opens and gives ghosts the chance to wander under the sun again once each year.
Worshippers brought offerings to the shore on Monday evening for those who perished at sea.
Fifteen families in Keelung presented water lanterns shaped like paper houseboats in a parade on the streets, before igniting and releasing them into the water.
[Wu Wen-hsi, Wu Clan Association]: (Mandarin, male)
"We let go of the hatred that existed before, now we offer sacrifices to ancestors all together, no matter where they are from. This is our way of forgiving. In Keelung, there are rarely voices against this tradition. This is a very important tradition. So all of the clans, if it is their turn, will all give their best to organize this festivity."
Thousands.... Many brought their families to learn about Taiwanese culture and traditions.
[Lin Yi-hua, Spectator]: (Mandarin, male)
"Bringing my children here to participate in today's activity is a kind of passing on of the old tradition. Sometimes the meaning of traditional holidays cannot be explained by words, only by participating themselves, they can understand what the meaning is. When they grow up, they will come to understand what this tradition stands for.”
The traditions to appease ghosts originates more than 150 years ago. It started after hundreds of early settlers in the region lost their lives in the struggle for the island’s limited land and resources. Since then families in Keelung have taken turns in hosting the annual offering to the ancestors whose blood was shed on this land.
