Originally posted on Athena's Chinese Class:
七月半指的是农历的七月十五日。七月半在道教称为中元节,在佛教称为盂兰盆节,民间俗称鬼节。相传在七月半这一天,鬼门关大开,阴间的鬼魂会回到阳间,接受子孙后代的香火供养,孤魂野鬼则四处寻找食物。为了防止孤魂野鬼为祸人间,人们在这一天举行大型的祭祀活动。 The Ghost Festival refers to the 15th of the 7th lunar month. It is called Zhongyuan Festival in Taoism, Ullambana in Buddhism.…