Hungry Ghost Month: Supernatural Folklore from Asia | Thursday Thrills

Hungry Ghost Month runs August 13 through September 10 in 2026, with the fifteenth-day Hungry Ghost Festival falling on August 27. Why do some getai and wayang performances in Singapore and Malaysia leave the entire front row empty?

Thursday Thrills explores the Chinese ghost folklore, religious traditions and regional beliefs behind seats reserved for unseen guests. Henrique traces the differences among the seventh lunar month, the Daoist Zhongyuan Festival, Buddhist Yulanpen or Ullambana observances, ancestor remembrance and offerings for wandering spirits. We also examine food, incense, joss paper and documented Ghost Month taboos involving roadside offerings, nighttime swimming, reserved seats and major life events.

From Taiwan's water lanterns and Hong Kong's Yu Lan traditions to Singaporean getai, this respectful supernatural folklore journey separates living cultural practice from sensational internet horror - and asks who a performance is really for when its best seats are left empty.

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