Entertainment for Hungry Ghosts - WW

During the month-long Hungry Ghost Festival, besides the food offerings and Hell money, entertainment for our ghostly visitors are very important. The one thing many Chinese look forward to every Hungry Ghost Festival is the getai (street concert).

Street entertainment as good as at concerts

All over Singapore, there are a few getais performing every night. Singers and entertainers from as far as China and Taiwan would come to Singapore to sing at getais. Never mind if some are lousy singers. Their elaborate costumes are worth a look.

The huge crowd at Hougang Avenue 8

Some of the regular entertainers have their own fans. Every year, those loyal fans will follow them to every street concert where they perform.

All dressed up to please the audience

I attended several getais the past few nights just to get the photos for this post. Enduring the loud blasts from the speakers for hours, I also had to push my way right to the front of the stage so as to get closer to the performers.

Director Jack Neo and cast of 'Money No Enough 2'

This year, local director Jack Neo whose latest film 'Money No Enough 2' premiered on 31st July, appeared in several getais to promote his movie. Their appearance attracted large crowds. They sang, danced and bantered with the audience who truly enjoyed their performance as they were laughing and clapping away.

Go watch one and enjoy yourself.

Wordless Wednesday

Sadness Clouds eastcoastlife - PhotoHunt

Goddess of Mercy Temple shrouded in smoke...

Today marks the first day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The entire lunar 7th month of the Chinese calendar is called the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Chinese believe that during this month, the gates of Hell are opened to free the ghosts who would roam Earth. Some people even believe that the ghosts would try to seek revenge on those who had wronged them in their lives.

Food and burning of ghost money (or paper money) are offered to appease the visiting ghosts.

I was at the Goddess of Mercy Temple with the elders in my family this morning. While waiting for them, I saw this lady standing in a cloud of smoke!

She placed her handbag in the cloud of smoke...... then she took out her keys and smoked them. One by one, she took out her purse, jewellery, cash, credit cards..... and put them over the smoke. ?????

Others start to follow........


Some used their hands to scoop smoke onto their face and patted it all over their body. ????


These actions really cloud my mind!!!

I'm clouded by sadness because of my son's medical problems. His abdominal pains are still bothering him and he's almost finished his bottle of pain-killers. I'm going to consult more specialists....




PhotoHunt

photohunt