Hungry Ghost Festival in Penang							Back
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Hungry Ghost Festival is more of a Chinese religious-culture, celebrated by most taoist and buddhist people of Chinese race in Penang. However, some buddhist are pure buddhist and they do not observe such occasion. This festival falls from the 1st day of chinese lunar seventh month to the last day of the seventh month. During this month, many taoist temple and organisation will put up stage show. These shows are mostly in Chinese dialect. On the last day of the stage show, the committee member will 'burn' the Tai Soo Ia (God that takes care of the underworld) to 'send' Tai Soo Ia back to the underworld. Some will put up stage concerts. If you go watch such stage show, you can donate some money (usually into a red box) to the organiser even if you do not pray to this god. Some organisations may organise dinner function for people staying near their area from donations they collected from them. In this dinner function itself, donations will also be collected. The proceeds of all the donations will then be given out as donations to other organisations or schools, etc. The first row photos show some stage shows at different locations. The left second row photo shows Tai Soo Ia with four of its people beside him, two at each side. The black shirt is the 'Ji-Pek Kong' and the one holding a fan is 'Tua-Pek Kong'. Both were drinkers and smoker. Hmm, not good people. The white face next to Ji-Pek Kong is the underworld judge. The red face next to Tua-Pek Kong is the 'book / time keeper' that will call people to the underworld. To 'send' Tai Soo Ia back to underworld, a 'medium' will be required to take Tai Soo Ia out from stage. Then the organisers will put on his clothes and put 'underworld money' around him as seen on right second row photo and left third row photo. Before burning, the people will pray and walk round Tai Soo Ia as seen in right third row photo.		Events : Every seventh month of Chinese Lunar Calendar
		Stage show at Perak Lane	Stage show at Pulau Tikus Market
		Tai Soo Ia's on its Stage	'Medium' and organisers preparing to send 'Tai Soo Ia' back to underworld
		'Tai Soo Ia' ready for last prayer	People praying and walking round 'Tai Soo Ia' before burning
		Sending 'Tai Soo Ia' back to underworld	Scene of back stage
		Under the stage

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