The Seventh Lunar month has arrived and many places have kickstarted activities related to the Zhong Yuan festival. In the Nanyang region, the seventh month is considered the most important time of the year. Why is it called Zhong Yuan Festival? Professor Zhang of the Chinese Culture Promotion Society (Singapore) explains: “According to traditional Chinese culture, a year is divided into three festivals. The first takes place on the 15th of the first lunar month, the second the 15th of the seventh lunar month that is Zhong Yuan Festival, and the third the 15th of the tenth lunar month. Zhong Yuan Festival is when Heaven and Earth unite, creating a favourable condition for all to cherish those still alive and pay respects and remember the dead.”
According to Professor Zhang, in traditional Chinese culture it is believed that the soul remains after death. And the soul also requires material goods. We conduct ritual offering whereby tangible goods are converted into intangible goods for the dead. This is why everywhere we see people burning offerings.
Modern science advocates the law of conservation of energy that is, no substance is truly destructible. Based on this reasoning, many believe that the dead can receive the burnt offerings. Not only can this act benefit and enrich the dead, it is also a way to grieve and remember them.
But a special occasion (what Professor Zhang calls a “unique spacetime”) is required to ensure successful deliverance of the offerings. And there are four such occasions: Qingming Festival, Zhong Yuan Festival, Chongyang or Double Ninth Festival, and the Winter Solstice Festival.
The Human Body Versus Soul
Professor Zhang also explains that within the six realms existence, the human is made up of two aspects, the human body, and the soul that resides in it. He used the analogy of the car to illustrate his point. The car is the shell likening the human body, but the real driver is the one inside the car. So is the soul.
When a life comes to an end, what really dies is the shell that is the body. The soul never dies, but instead goes through the unending cycle of reincarnation. We tend not believe this is the truth, but it is. This concept of reincarnation has been around for thousands of years. Professor Zhang says: “According to modern science, we have two worlds. A physical world and an etheric one. The physical world comprises of only 4 percent. The etheric world, on the other hand, takes up 96 percent, something which modern scientists are unable to prove but acknowledge its existence. We are waiting for the time when scientists can finally provide scientific proof.
Professor Zhang said that according to Taoist culture, humans have three souls (hun) and seven spirits (po). Many Chinese idioms such as “lost soul, dropped spirit” (shihun luopo), and “soul flies away and scatters” (hunfei posan) are related to the soul and spirit. The “heavenly soul” returns back to heaven, thereby the common phrase “rise to heaven upon death”. The “earthly soul” goes to hell to be reincarnated into the next life, while the “human soul” continues to stay on earth and guards the dead body. This soul requires its living descendants to pay respect and give offerings.
Applying wave-particle duality, a concept in quantum mechanics, all particles have waves and waves can produce intentions. DNA scientists claim that even human ash or corpse contain DNA information. As such, traditional Chinese culture makes much of “spiritual bones” and “cemetery fengshui”. Once the ancestors are well taken care of, they will bless the descendants through DNA wave motion. Giving abundant wealth to ancestors will guarantee better life for the next generations of descendants.
The dead also suffer much hardship so pujas are held during Zhong Yuan Festival (also called Ullambana Festival) to help liberate their souls, to uplift them to better realms. While these pujas have no scientific basis, Professor Zhang claims they exist for a reason and encourages participation.
Seventh Lunar Month Folk Customs
Professor Zhang explains that there are different ways to conduct worship. The more elaborate one involves animal sacrifices, fruits and rice offerings, fresh flowers and treasures. Wealthy households will also invite monks or Taoist priests to conduct private puja to help liberate the dead. Those less wealthy conduct a much simpler ritual like they will burn joss papers, light incense and candles, offer fruits and biscuits.
The first day of the seventh month is the opening of hell gate, and we must pray and offer our respects.
Many companies pray on the second day for a smooth business month.
The 15th day of the month is the actual Zhong Yuan Festival, also the birthday of the Earth official (Diguan Dadi). This is the most important day of year. Taoism practices the Zhongyuan puja to help liberate and uplift the dead to the upper realms. Buddhism conducts the Ullambana ceremony also for the same reason i.e. sending them to the Pure Lands.
The last day of the month is called Closing of Hell Gate, and it is also the birthday of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. We want to use the merits from celebrating his birth to help the dead receive salvation.
There are many “don’ts” during this month. For instance, do not call out one’s name for no good reason, do not tap on one’s shoulder, do not blow whistle, do not swim”, do not steal and eat the offerings, do not hang wind chimes at home, do not play with Ouija boards, do not visit spirit-worshipping temples, do not visit remote and isolated places at night, do not pick up loose coins or empty red packets on the streets, and do not step on joss paper or burn them anyhow.
Source: Lianhe Wanbao
Interview with Professor Zhang Bu Sheng, 14th August, Sat, 2021