Its that time of the years where Chinese Malaysians celebrate the Ghost Month. The most notable and recognizable traditions are the food offerings left on sides of the roads, and although this is not allowed now because of COVID-19, the huge canopies with stage performances every other night. 

The Ghost Month is actually the 7th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The community believes that during thing moth, the spirits are allowed to do whatever they want in the mortal world. In other words, it is like the purge but for ghosts. 

Here are some of the pantangs that our grandparents advised us to follow during this month or face the horrible consequences that follow:

1. Don’t ever kick or step on the food offerings

During the Ghost month, you will be able to see many food offerings placed at the side of the roads or in front of people’s houses. The Chinese believe that feeding the ghosts will stop them from causing havoc in your life. 

So, if you step of or kick the food offerings you see at the side of the road, the ghosts who have a memory of an elephants will definitely find a way to hunt you down and punish you. I mean, it is like, if you see someone eating, would you go and step on their food?

2. Just like the food, don’t ever step on hell money

Another thing that you might not have known about the Ghost month, is that people leave pieces of joss paper that look like actual banknotes for the ghosts to use as currency in the afterlife. 

Just like the food, would you simply step of your friend’s wallet and crush her money? No, right? So don’t do it to the ghosts la, because while you friend might forgive you, the ghosts will not. Good luck with that. 

3. Avoid hanging your clothes at night

I know most of us work during the day and do the house chores at night, but maybe avoid doing your laundry at night during this month. People believe that during this month, ghosts wander about freely in our world after sundown. 

When you hang clothes outside at night, the ghosts might see them and as they resemble a human body, the ghosts will attach themselves to your clothes hoping that it will help them regain their human form. 

Some people also say that your clothes keep them warm as the underworld is a cold place. 

So, if you hang your clothes outside at night this month, you might just be bringing in more than your clothes when taking them in. 

4. Don’t open an umbrella indoors

When the weather is raining or when the sun is super-hot, we all need umbrellas and so do ghosts! On really hot days or on rainy days, they use umbrellas as a shelter from the dreadful weather.

While ghost wander around during this month, they don’t really come into your homes unwelcomed. So when they hide in umbrellas and you carelessly bring them in and open them, you are actually giving them a free grab ride into your house. 

Now, you will have a random spirit in your house. 

5. Stay away from playing with Ouija boards or performing any séances 

I would suggest that you stay away from these games and so on all the time. If you really have to for some reason, then maybe not do it during the ghost month. 

Apparently, anything related to communicating with spirits during the Ghost month will be more likely to invoke a paranormal response.

You might think, well then why shouldn’t I play the game? The whole objective of the games is to get a paranormal response. However, the problem is sometimes, the spirit might decide that it doesn’t really want to leave the mortal world or sometimes it might not be who it claims to be.