Note: This information is courtesy of my sweet manicurist, Stephanie Chung.
While I was getting my nails done the other day I complained to Stephanie about not being able to read the Chinese newspapers or understand the Cantonese news. “Why?” asked Stephanie, “What newspaper do you read?” “I read the South China Daily Post,” I replied. “I know I get most of the news, including local news, but I think I miss a chance to understand Chinese culture better.”
Stephanie was silent for a moment. Then she said, “Did you read about that tree that fell on that girl in Stanley the other day?” “Yes,” I said, “that was terrible.” “Well, didn’t you think that story was a little strange?” asked Stephanie. “Don’t you think if you heard a big tree falling like that you would get out of the way? Well in the Chinese press, this is what they were saying. You know the Hungry Ghost Festivals they are having all over Hong Kong right now? Well we believe that this time of year is very dangerous, because the ghosts are hungry and they are out at night. They need energy, which is why we feed them. But people have low energy this time of year too. So, we don’t think that the ghosts caused the tree to fall on the girl, but maybe her energy level was low because the ghosts are hungry, which caused her to be less aware of the things going on around her, and less able to respond when the tree started to fall.”
I thought about this. This time of year in Hong Kong, it has been so hot and humid for so long. Everyone is dragging. We’re tired of the beach; we’re tired of the pool. The stores are filling up with fall clothing, but no-one can stand the thought of trying on warm clothes. It makes sense to say that our energy levels are low; its true, they are.
Stephanie continued. “You know all the little shrines you see all over Hong Kong. Well you’ve been seeing more of them lately, haven’t you?” I nodded. “Well people are feeding the ghosts, paper food, paper money. Don’t step on that paper!” she said with a smile, “the ghosts won’t like that!”
We laughed, but I went back to thinking about the Chinese culture that surrounds me. I talked to Stephanie a little bit about the paper tigers and the petty people that I posted about last week. The thing that’s cool is that as I researched this tradition further I realized that it really wasn’t like voo-doo at all. They’re not trying to put an evil spell on the people in the pictures; they are trying to reduce the INFLUENCE of the petty people over their lives. To be free of the anger and grief caused by people that have done you harm, well that’s actually comforting and healthy and makes perfect sense. Beat a picture with a shoe? Why not?
Lee told me the other day that a friend of his at work that lived in China for many years said that on the mainland these traditions have almost totally died out. Mao didn’t like these superstition – communists don’t like religion in any form – and discouraged their practice. But the traditions are still strong in Taiwan. I’ll have to ask Daniel if he is seeing little shrines everywhere in Taipei.
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