Two Ghost Festivals in a year

Apparently there are two Ghost festivals in this year's Chinese Lunar calendar. The Chinese Ghost Festival is equivalent to the Western "All Soul's Day", where people go to the cemetery and commemorate the dead. According to Chinese tradition, this is the time when the gates of hell are opened and ghosts from the nether world are free to roam among the living. These ghosts return to visit their relatives and friends, most of them are hungry and are looking for food (hence, the local Tsinoy coined the term "Hungry Ghosts").

During this time, Chinese from all over the world would prepare ritual food (to offer to the ghosts), visit/pray at temples. burn incense and hell money. My parents would buy some canned goods and order cooked food, which they'll arrange in front of my grandparents' altar.

What makes this year so special is the fact that there are two Ghost Festivals (although most Tsinoys prefer to celebrate the latter festival). This is the first double celebration in ages. I heard a lot of Tsinoys complain about this unlucky time. Such an event only shows that we are trully living in a very "troubled" time, where "bad karma / misfortune" is everywhere.

Part of me thinks this is plain superstition, that most Chinese blame their misery on the stars (rather than accept full responsiblity for their actions). But another part of me tend to agree with them. I guess my belief comes from following the Chinese customs and traditions. Events such as these have a major influence on other Chinese practices.

Many Tsinoys schedule their businesses, marriage, and personal activities around celebrations such as these. Most of them would wait for months before they'd move furniture or get married. Whether I'd believe on the Ghost Festival or not, the festival does have an affect on my family and on my life.

一年﹐兩個鬼月

在中國的陰曆﹐今年有兩個鬼月。
中國鬼月像西方的萬聖節。
在這節日﹐人們都去墓地來紀念過世的親友。
根據中國傳統﹐在這天地獄的大門會打開﹐各種鬼魂就回世界找他們活著的親人。
這些鬼魂一年沒吃過飯﹐就會著食物(所以菲國華僑稱呼他們叫“餓鬼”)。

在鬼月時﹐中國人就會準備好多飯菜(來崇拜鬼魂)﹐拜訪廟宇﹐點燃香,灼燒鬼魂金錢。
我父母會買一些罐頭﹐點幾個小菜﹐整齊的安排在祖父母的祭壇上。

今年很特別﹐因為有兩個鬼月(但是很多菲華只慶祝最後個鬼月日子)。
很多菲華相信這是個不幸的年。
這只證明世界是一個很煩惱的地方﹐壞的因果也很多。

我想這都是迷信。很多中國人遇到困難時﹐就怪天怪地(不承認自己有責任)。
但是我也相信這是中國古老傳統的信仰。這些節日對中國人有很大的影響。

很多菲華人按照陰曆日子來安排他們的商業﹐婚姻﹐和私人活動。
有些人願意等幾個月後才搬家或結婚。
不管我相信不相信鬼月﹐這個節日對我社會和家庭有很大的影響。