Tay (fifth left) with KTA president Chiew Boon Shen (fifth right) and other committee members at the ceremony to mark the beginning of the Ghost Month. – Photo courtesy of Tan Kay Hock
KUCHING (Aug 9): The Hiang Thian Siang Ti Temple at Carpenter Street here had a simple ceremony on Saturday night to mark the beginning of the seventh Lunar month, known generally as the ‘Ghost Month’.
The temple, under the management of the Kuching Teochew Association (KTA), has been organising the ceremony, but this year it was limited to only committee members due to Covid-19 pandemic.
KTA vice president Tan Kay Hock said even though the standard operating procedures (SOP) said eligble houses of worship could organise the Hungry Ghost Festival-related activities only from today (Aug 8), the simple ceremony last night was meant for committee members.
“Houses of worship have already been allowed to open (under Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan) and the ceremony to mark the beginning of the Ghost Month last night was strictly for committee members, just 10 or so of us.
“The ceremony started at 7pm and lasted for about half an hour. It was to mark ghosts and spirits coming out from the lower realm. We left the temple right after the ceremony,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.
The Hungry Ghost Festival is celebrated every 15th day of the seventh Lunar month, and falls on Aug 22 this year.
According to Tan, the temple will organise the festival in the evening on the actual day, but the ‘grappling with the ghosts’ – better known as ‘Qiang Gu’ will not be held.
He said this will be the second consecutive year that Qiang Gu had not been organised since the outbreak of the pandemic early last year.
“We will strictly comply with the SOP set by the authorities,” he added.
Traditionally, the Hungry Ghost Festival includes ritualistic food offerings, burning of joss papers and the Qiang Gu.
Qiang Gu is an activity held in conjunction with the traditional Chinese festival, where worshippers would strive to grab a ticket, which entitles them to bring home some ‘prizes’ for their effort.
Those who decide to take part in Qiang Gu usually expect themselves to get hold a ticket at the very least, as it is believed that participants who fail to grab one will be subjected to bad luck.
Meanwhile, a KTA statement on Thursday said only individuals who had been fully vaccinated will be allowed to attend the festival.
The association said those with Covid-19 symptoms such as cough and breathing difficulties as well as individuals aged below 18 and above 60 will be prohibited from taking part.
On Thursday, the State Disaster Management Committee and the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) released the SOP, saying eligible houses of worship or associations will be allowed to organise the festival from Aug 8 to Sept 6 and only fully vaccinated people are allowed to attend them.
The SOP said only houses of worship or associations gazetted under the Non-Islamic Charitable Trust Board under the Charitable Trust Ordinance 1994 or registered with the Registrar of the Societies (RoS) under the Societies Act 1966 (Act 335) will be allowed to organise the festival.
A maximum of 50 persons are allowed for indoor venues or 100 persons for outdoor venues at any one time, and the festivals can only be held between 6am and 10pm.