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Hungry Ghost Festival quiz: How much do you know?

How Hong Kong gets Hungry Ghost Festival all wrong, following superstitions not rooted in its Buddhist origins

A woman burns offerings on the street during Hungry Ghost Festival. Some other customs during the festival, however, aren’t necessarily grounded in tradition. Photo: Winson Wong

A man burns paper offerings during the Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai neighbourhood. Photo: Winson Wong

Lavish food offerings for spirits of the deceased are common at the Hungry Ghost Festival. Photo: Nora Tam

Char siu restaurants are thought by some to be a place where hungry ghosts gather during Hungry Ghost Festival. Photo: Jonathan Wong

A still from The Eye (2002). Photo: Palm Pictures

Your Hungry Ghost Festival survival guide: don’t ‘borrow’ an umbrella, use a bus shelter at night or tap someone’s shoulder

An effigy of the Ghost King during a ceremonial ritual for the Hungry Ghost Festival at Tai Kong Po Tsuen, Pat Heung, Kam Tin in Hong Kong. Photo: Nora Tam

There are many things to avoid during the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong, including not picking up an unclaimed umbrella - it could be housing a wandering spirit. Photo: Nora Tam

During the Hungry Ghost Festival, people honour the memories of the dead by presenting food, as well as burning “hell money”. Photo: Shutterstock

During Hungry Ghost Festival don’t “borrow” someone else’s umbrella, or you could admit wandering ghosts to your home. Photo: Nora Tam

Photo-taking late at night is to be avoided at all costs if you don’t want to capture a ghost in action or trap one inside your camera. Photo: Nora Tam

Rituals such as burning joss paper, or “hell money”, are meant to keep us on the good side of our ancestors. Photo: Edmond So

Lifestyle

What distinguishes the Hungry Ghost festival from Halloween? Test your knowledge about the festival.


Hungry Ghost Festival quiz: How much do you know?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}What distinguishes the Hungry Ghost festival from Halloween? Test your knowledge about the festival.

What distinguishes the Hungry Ghost festival from Halloween? Test your knowledge about the festival.