Hundreds of believers, people from various faiths, and international tourists gathered at Shang Ti Temple on Carpenter Street last night for the Hungry Ghost Festival. The event, organized by the Kuching Teochew Association, featured the traditional ritual known as Qiang Gu, or ‘grappling with ghosts.

During Qiang Gu, participants eagerly competed to grab tickets, which symbolize the desperate attempts of hungry ghosts seeking food. This ritual, celebrated on the 15th day of the lunar seventh month, is believed to bring good fortune to those who succeed in grabbing a ticket, while those who fail are thought to face bad luck.

Non-believers also took part by folding joss papers, with Kuching Teochew Association members explaining the ritual’s significance.

The Hungry Ghost Festival, also called Zhongyuan Jie or Yulan Jie, has been a tradition in the local Chinese community for over a century. In addition to Qiang Gu, the festival includes ritual food offerings and the burning of joss papers. The seventh lunar month is traditionally known as Ghost Month, a time when spirits and ancestors are believed to roam from the lower realm.