Ghostly Days

Burning money, and incense papers is an offering make in the month long prayers inherited since the Liang Dynasty during Por Tor. The spirits are permitted to roam among the living in that month with a condition that they must return to their bases when the rooster start crowing at the break of dawn with a cook-a-doodle-doo … and rain fall when some do not abide by it. Traditional rules existed for the living and the spirits in that month.

On top of money, these offerings are included in the list; oranges, apples, pears, pineapples, watermelon, guava, mango, banana, honey dew, beers, wine, liqour, soft drink, packed drink, canned drink, duck, chicken, pig, prawn, fish, eggs, vegetables, rice, dumpling, biscuit, red turtles or ang ku. The list does not stop here.

Pissing at undisturned places, in particular, the rural areas entail respect for the spirits. Traditional belief, the spirits could be roaming among the shrubs or beside the stems, for example. If pissing is done without asking for permission, the action tantamount to disrepect. There was a tale told. The dog could see the spirits. The spirits do not disturb the dog. Piss like a dog. Another tale was told. The living could see what the dog see by squatting under the table during the prayer. A raw rooster head held above the head provide the window to see the spirits feasting.

A Chinese opera show actor was performing his role as a diety. His neighbor run a great distance to inform him of the state of his great grand father. His great grand father was moaning to death. A filial great grand son, upon hearing what his neighbor told him, he rushed home without changing his costumes while taking the acting sword with him. He stopped in his run, to piss in the cold night. While pissing, he heard the noises produced by metal chains. Two spirits spoke to each other. One spirit asked, “Where is the place we are heading ?” and “Who is to be taken ?” The other spirit reply by reading a name from the list in his hand. That was his great grand father’s name. The actor knew what it was all about. He quickly gathered more strength and sped home. Upon opening the door, he saw his great grand father’s dilemma and without wasting time, he grabbed a chair and placed it at the centre of the door. He lifted his left leg and put his foot on the chair. Standing on the ground with his right leg and holding the sword with his right hand, he stared at the two approaching spirits like a diety. The spirits noted that a “diety” guarding the place and took a look at the name again in the list. One spirit said, “It is not right, with a diety guarding the place we are assigned to.” The other spirit answered, “Agreeable, there must be a mistake in the list. Let’s report what we see to the Yen Lo Wang.” They left that place. Shortly, the old man regain his normal self.

A moth flew in through the window and rested on the flourescent tube. The spirit transform into a moth to visit home.