Every seventh month of the lunar calendar, every block in Penang will start to set up tents in conjunction with the arrival of the Ghost Festival, and enshrine a Da Shi Ye (also known as the ghost king) inside. During this month, you can see glistening red singing platforms everywhere, there are often sacrifices and ghost papers all over the street, and the air smells of fragrance and burnt ingot candles. Penang is the state with the largest number of Chinese, and the most indispensable thing in the year is Chinese festivals, and the Chinese attach great importance to the worship work of traditional festivals, so the grand battles often attract tourists to stop and watch. If you want to see the Penang Hungry Ghost Festival, just walk around the main street (Lebuh China) and you will see it. If you have time, you might as well go to Bukit Mertajam to see the one-story-high Tuas.

Photo taken from Guanghua Daily

The Hungry Ghost Festival on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is a Taoist statement, Buddhism calls it the Yulan Festival or Yulan Shenghui, and folks directly call it the Ghost Festival. The Hungry Ghost Festival is a festival for filial piety and respect for the elderly, worshiping ghosts and gods to pray for safety and prosperity in all industries. Therefore, believers believe that worshiping at home, shop, workplace or the area where they do business will be effective. The history of Penang Chinese celebrating the Zhongyuan Festival can be traced back to 150 years ago. In the 1980s or earlier, the Zhongyuan Festival sacrificial activities were quite lively. About 200 blocks worshiped for 20 to 30 days in the same month. Inside, many troupes can be seen setting up sheds and stages to perform puppet shows or operas of various origins, and inside the sheds must be the majestic paper-clad gold body of the Dashi Lord. Before the case, there are offerings from local residents, and the incense is at its peak.

Photo via Culture Guru

Da Shi Ye is also known as the King of Ghosts. All the dead souls in the world are under his control. Believers believe that he will maintain civil order during the Ghost Festival and prevent the dead souls from disturbing the people. Therefore, in addition to offering sacrifices to ancestors, believers will also worship lonely ghosts and wild ghosts on the roadside, hoping that "they" will not cause trouble in the world after they have enough food and drink, and collect clothes, money and property.

The most eye-catching Hungry Ghost Festival celebration in Penang is the Bukit Mertajam Yu Lan Festival. Residents in the area have been celebrating the Hungry Ghost Festival since 1964. At that time, the paper-wrapped gold statue of Dashi Lord was only 6 feet high. Every year, I will increase the height of Da Shiye by 1 to 2 feet, and then increase the height by inches. Until this year, Da Shiye's paper-tied gold body is 27 feet 7 inches tall!

The photo is taken from China Press

On the first day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the statue of Da Shi Ye sits in the Da Shi Ye Treasure Hall of the Yulan Festival in Bukit Mertajam. On the evening of the second day of the second day, the sacred furnace invitation ceremony of the Da Shi Ye is held. The 15-day celebration was followed by burning at 10:00 pm on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month to send the master back to Luang respectfully.

On the night of sending the Master back to Luang, the local residents will go out together. After worshiping with fragrant incense in their hands, they will pile up the offerings and ghost papers on the road and burn them together with the golden body of the Master. This grand event often attracts tourists from home and abroad to visit, and the scene is crowded with dark crowds.

Photo by John Shen Lee

The Chinese in Penang have celebrated the Ghost Festival for a hundred years. Therefore, the Penang government intends to apply for an intangible cultural heritage to UNESCO. This is not only an affirmation for Penang, but also preserves the worship ceremony and culture.

Dashanjiao Buzhong Yu Lan Shenghui Tuasiya Palace (near Pak Kung Cheng)

Address: Jalan Pasar, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang.

Lebuh China

地址：Lebuh China, George Town, 10200 George Town Penang.

Photo by John Shen Lee