Why can't you go out during the Ghost Festival?

Can’t go out during the Ghost Festival? The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month every year is the Zhongyuan Festival, one of the four major ghost festivals in China. It is said that people cannot go out on this day. Next, let’s take a closer look at why we can’t go out during the Ghost Festival.

Can't go out during the Ghost Festival?

General Overview

Try to stay out as little as possible on the Ghost Festival, especially at night, and try to go to bed early. Because the 15th day of the seventh lunar month every year is the day when the gates of hell open. It is said that on the day of the Ghost Festival, the gates of hell open and all ghosts can come to the world to enjoy the blood and food of the human world. The living relatives will prepare some dishes, fruits and vegetables, gold foil clothes and go to the intersection to offer sacrifices to ghosts and gods on this day. This is also to accumulate merits for the deceased relatives, hoping that they will achieve perfection in merits soon, be reborn and ascend to heaven as immortals. Therefore, the Ghost Festival is the time when the yin energy is the strongest. People with insufficient yang energy, children, etc. should avoid going out during this period, and even if they go out, they should return early. Women should not go out at night during their menstrual period or after giving birth or surgery.

What can’t you do during the Ghost Festival?

1. Food offered as sacrifices on the Ghost Festival should not be eaten, so as not to anger ghosts, especially children who are ignorant and may eat the food offered as sacrifices by others.
2. Do not hang items such as wind chimes at home on the Ghost Festival, because according to Feng Shui, such items attract negative energy.
3. Don’t wear overly bright clothes on the Ghost Festival, such as bright red or bright green clothes, as they can easily attract ghosts.
4. Don’t go out on the night of the Ghost Festival. It’s best to go to bed early because the yin energy is very strong throughout the day.

5. The Yang energy is weak on the Ghost Festival, so children and people with weak auras should not go near rivers and lakes.
6. Try not to look in the mirror on the night of the Ghost Festival to avoid seeing things you shouldn’t see.
7. Do not take photos during the Ghost Festival. This is not only disrespectful to your ancestors, but it is also easy to take photos of inauspicious things.
8. Don’t discuss ghosts and gods on the Ghost Festival, because it is said that on this day, ghosts almost come out in full force and are everywhere.