The Month of Hungry Ghosts|饿鬼月

by Owain Mckimm

August is the month that has ghosts coming back from the underworld.

For Chinese people all over the world, the seventh month of the lunar calendar is known as Ghost Month. Slightly similar _(1)_ Halloween in the West, Ghost Month is the time when the gates of hell are opened and ghosts are free to roam the Earth. The spirits, known as hungry ghosts, are from people whose ancestors did not pray for them when they died. They _(2)_ have long, thin necks which don't allow food to pass through and large swollen bellies which torment them with eternal hunger. Because of the potentially malevolent _(3)_ of these ghosts, many people avoid certain activities, such as swimming, getting married, or traveling, during Ghost Month. They do this in order to steer clear of the bad consequences which could be _(4)_ by possibly vengeful spirits.

On the 15th day of Ghost Month, food is offered and incense and ghost money are burned to appease the ghosts. Sometimes, larger paper objects, such as replicas of houses and cars, are burned to _(5)_ the dead even more. At the end of the festival, lotus-shaped lanterns and paper boats are placed in flowing water in order to help _(6)_ the lost souls back to the underworld.

The festival can trace its origins to an ancient Buddhist story from India about a former merchant who saves his mother from hell. In the Tang Dynasty, this Buddhist celebration became fused with certain Taoist and folk ceremonies, and the resulting rituals form _(7)_ we know as Ghost Festival today.

1. (A) as   (B) from    (C) to  (D) for

2. (A) are said to  (B) say (C) are saying  (D) are said

3. (A) notice   (B) nature  (C) measure (D) trend

4. (A) taken place  (B) brought on  (C) looked after    (D) taken over

5. (A) pacify   (B) specify (C) amplify (D) simplify

6. (A) deposit  (B) exchange    (C) yield   (D) guide

7. (A) what (B) which   (C) that    (D) whose

饿鬼月

八月是鬼魂从阴间回来的月份。

对全球华人而言，农历七月俗称鬼月。鬼月与西方万圣节稍有雷同之处，鬼月是地狱之门开启的时刻，鬼魂可以自由地在世间游荡。名为饿鬼的灵魂来自于某些往生者，他们过世时未受祖先的庇佑。据说这些鬼魂有着细长的脖子，食物因此无法通过，然而肿胀的肚子却让他们永远受到饥饿感所折磨。由于这些鬼魂的潜在恶性，许多人因此在鬼月期间会避免从事特定的活动，诸如游泳、嫁娶或旅游。他们这么做目的是要避开那些有报复心态的鬼魂以及他们可能带来的不良后果。

鬼月 15日那天，人们都会奉上食物，也会上香并燃烧纸钱，为的就是要安抚那些鬼魂。有时候，人们也会焚烧如房子和车子等较大的纸模型以更加地抚慰亡魂。在这个节日的尾声，人们会将莲花状的灯笼以及纸船放到流水上，为的是要指引那些迷失的灵魂回到阴间。

中元节的起源可以追溯到印度的一则古老佛教故事，故事描述以前一位商人将母亲从地狱中拯救出来。唐朝时，这项佛教庆典融合了若干道教及民俗礼仪，结果此宗教仪式就形成了今日大家熟知的中元节。

答案：  1.  C   2.  A   3.  B   4.  B   5.  A

   6.  D   7.  A

闽南人在中元节有一特别仪式，称为「抢孤」，将供品或旗子放置高柱上，将柱子涂满油脂，令众人同爬其柱，先得旗、物者胜。不但能取得奖品，且代表自己会得到神鬼的祝福。不过这是一项危险性很高的活动，在清领时期，巡抚刘铭传曾令禁止。今日台湾东北角的头城与西南隅的恒春依然有此仪式。

请道士、艺师扮演驱魔真君钟馗，是谓「跳钟馗」。有人则是请艺师操控钟馗之傀儡，以消弭死者亡魂的戾气，请众家好兄弟赶紧回返阴间。今日台湾，八家将与官将首等阵头十分盛行，以替换「跳钟馗」的仪式。（数据源：维基百科）