Hungry Ghost Festival 2025 Singapore: Dates, Offerings & Taboos

The Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as the 7th Month (中元节), falls on 23 August to 21 September in 2025. Here's everything you need to know — including what to do, what to avoid, when to burn offerings, and where to buy them.

📅 Key Dates for Hungry Ghost Festival 2025

23 August 2025 (1st Day)- Start of the 7th Lunar Month. Gates of the underworld open.

6 September 2025 (15th Day) - Ghost Day (中元节). Spirits are believed to be most active.

21 September 2025 (30th Day) - Final day. Offerings made to send spirits off peacefully.

Ghost Month is observed throughout the entire 7th lunar month. While the 15th day (Ghost Day) is the most important, many families make offerings on the 1st, 15th, and 30th day.

👻 What Is the Hungry Ghost Festival?

The Hungry Ghost Festival is a Chinese tradition rooted in both Taoist and Buddhist beliefs. It’s said that during the 7th month, the Gates of Hell open, allowing spirits — both ancestors and wandering ghosts — to roam the earth.

In Singapore, this month is observed with:

  • Joss paper offerings (money, clothes, houses, luxury items)
  • Food offerings at roadside altars and temples
  • Getai performances to entertain spirits
  • Community dinners and temple prayers

The goal? To honour ancestors, appease hungry ghosts, and ensure good fortune and protection for the living.

🧾 What Offerings Do You Burn — and When?

Offerings are burned to send material comforts to the spirit world. Here’s what’s commonly offered and what they mean:

  • Joss paper “hell money” - Spiritual currency for ghosts to use
  • Gold/silver paper ingots - Symbolic wealth (gold = deities/ancestors, silver = wandering spirits)
  • Paper clothes - So spirits are properly dressed in the afterlife
  • Paper houses, phones - Luxuries and comfort in the spirit realm
  • Food (oranges, rice, pau) - To satisfy hungry spirits and prevent mischief

🕯️ When to burn:
Offerings are usually burned at dusk on the 1st, 15th, and 30th day of the 7th month. Some families burn offerings every week, or on their ancestors’ death anniversaries during this month.

🔥 Where to burn:
Use designated burners provided by town councils in HDB estates, or the metal bins outside temples. Avoid burning directly on the ground or grass patches. We’ve compiled a full guide on where to burn joss paper across Singapore, including etiquette and NEA guidelines.

🛍️ Where to buy offerings:
You can find Hungry Ghost Festival sets at:

  • Chinatown Complex (People’s Park Food Centre)
  • Waterloo Street near Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
  • Geylang, Toa Payoh, Tiong Bahru wet markets
  • Heartland joss paper shops and provision stores
  • Supermarkets (NTUC, Cold Storage, Sheng Shiong etc)

Ready-made packets range from $5 to $38+, with larger sets including paper houses, servants, or even iPhones.

🚫 What NOT To Do During 7th Month

The 7th month is considered spiritually sensitive, and many locals still observe these taboos:

  • Stay out too late or wander near water - Spirits roam freely, especially at night
  • Whistle, sing, or call out names at night - May attract wandering spiritsTouch or kick offerings on sidewalks
  • Disrespectful to the spirits receiving them - Pick up coins or objects on the ground
  • Could belong to spirits or be part of a ritual - Sit in the front row at getaiReserved for the unseen guests
  • Move house / start a new business - Traditionally seen as inauspicious timingHang clothes out overnightSpirits might "try them on" or linger

Some families wear protective talismans or red threads during this month, especially for children.

Here’s our full list of what not to do during Hungry Ghost Festival — including the modern dos and don’ts people still follow today.

🎤 What Is Getai — and Can I Watch?

Getai (歌台) are live stage performances held outdoors in heartland neighbourhoods — think pop music, comedy, skits, and LED lights. Here’s our beginner-friendly guide to what getai is, how it works, and what to expect if you’re attending one.

  • 🎶 Modern getai features dialect songs, Mandarin pop, and even Korean covers
  • 📺 Some shows are livestreamed as e-getai, especially after COVID-19
  • 🪑 Always leave the front row empty — it’s reserved for spirits

Look out for posters around your neighbourhood or check online listings during Ghost Month.

Want to know how getai evolved from street-side opera to LED-lit concerts with K-pop covers? Check out our article on the surprising history of getai in Singapore.

🏮 Hungry Ghost Festival in Modern Singapore

While deeply spiritual, the Hungry Ghost Festival in Singapore is also a cultural experience. You'll see:

  • Burning bins and food offerings across HDB estates
  • Red altar tents with incense and paper effigies
  • Crowds gathering for getai and auctions
  • Posters with Taoist or Buddhist rituals in temples and clan halls

The government encourages safe and respectful practices, including:

  • Burning only in provided bins
  • Avoiding excessive smoke
  • Cleaning up offerings afterward

This balance of tradition and modern urban life is what makes the Singapore version of the festival unique.

Summary

📅 When:

23 August – 21 September 2025 (7th Lunar Month)

🔥 What to Do:

  • Burn joss paper
  • Offer food to ancestors and spirits
  • Visit temples
  • Attend getai shows

🚫 What Not to Do:

  • Don’t disturb or step over offerings
  • Avoid staying out too late or wandering near water
  • Never sit in the front row at getai — that’s for the spirits

🕯️ Where to Burn Offerings:

Designated burners in HDB estates or outside temples

🛍️ Where to Buy Offerings:

Chinatown, Waterloo Street, wet markets, and major supermarkets

🧠 Why It Matters:

To honour ancestors, appease hungry ghosts, and maintain peace between the spiritual and human realms