Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Ghost Month Brings Ancient Traditions Back to Life
There is a special month called Ghost Month.
It is the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
People believe that during this month the gates between our world and the world of the dead open.
That lets spirits come out of the underworld.
They wander around freely during this time.
Some of these spirits are ancestors who come back to check on their families.
Others are lonely souls who do not have any descendants.
These wandering spirits are called 'hungry ghosts'.
The festival is named after them.
It is an ancient tradition that is about to come back to life.
Ghost Month is the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
During Ghost Month, the gates separating the living world and the dead are believed to swing open.
Spirits are said to leave the underworld and wander freely during this time.
Some spirits are ancestors coming back to check on their families.
Wandering souls with no descendants, called 'hungry ghosts', give the festival its name.
- Who
- Spirits believed to leave the underworld, including ancestors and wandering souls with no descendants
- What
- Ghost Month, the period when the gates between the living and dead worlds open and spirits wander freely
- When
- The seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar
- Where
- Not specified in the article; the tradition follows the Chinese lunar calendar
- Why
- It is believed the gates open so spirits can leave the underworld, with ancestors checking on families and hungry ghosts wandering
- Festival
- Ghost Month
- Timing
- Seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar
- Core belief
- Gates separating the living world and the dead world swing open
- Spirits
- Ancestors checking on their families and wandering 'hungry ghosts'
- Namesake
- Hungry ghosts (wandering souls with no descendants)
- Theme
- Ancient traditions brought back to life