‘Ghost fashion show’ brings new life to traditional Chinese festival

The smell of incense, the smoke of burning joss money and the sight of food offerings at night on the streets in Hong Kong marked the annual Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell are believed to open, sending spirits into the world of the living.

The annual festival, marked on the 15th day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar, fell on Sunday (August 10) this year.

It is observed during the entire month mostly by the older generations and by the city's Chiu Chow community, who trace their ancestry to Chiu Chow city in the southern Guangdong province.

Makeshift theaters built entirely from bamboo erected around town provided the stage for Chiu Chow-style opera performances that ran late into the night.

In one of them which starred a youth opera troupe from southern China's Jieyang city, the night-long show featuring lovers and warriors singing and dancing to traditional music was not just for humans.

"This is for humans and ghosts. Ghosts know about this festival, so they come and watch it. And people come watch it too," said the head of the Jieyang City Youth Chiu Chow Opera Troupe, Wang Yaobo.

But while the living offer food, money and entertainment to the ghosts in order to get peace of mind and to fend off evil spirits, many also believe talking directly about the ghosts is a taboo.

One group of locals, however, tried to challenge this taboo on Sunday by staging a funeral fashion show.

The models with their faces painted white, dressed in costumes inspired by Chinese traditions and waved decorated taboo objects such as an altar plaque.

The 30-minute-long show, in which the models also talked and acted out a wedding, also aimed to bring some fun and humor into the festival.

Organizer Catherine Lui, who co-founded education company Liberal Union, said she wanted the public and her students to look at a tradition that was usually observed only by the older generations with fresh eyes.

"I want to give others, just to let them to have a new angle to see the whole thing. Or maybe to get the young people involved in the very traditional festival," Lui said.

Among the eight models, four were students.

One model was 82-year-old former actress and socialite Wong Har-wai, who is well-known in Hong Kong for being outspoken and recently grabbed entertainment headlines for staging a living funeral for herself.

When asked if she might find dressing as a ghost unlucky, Wong said there was nothing to be scared about.

"I don't think [this is unlucky]. Everybody likes being pretty. I'm so beautiful, and even ghosts want to be beautiful. If ghosts exist, they will be happy when they see me and they will say, 'wow, you are so pretty,'" Wong said.

The fashion show took three months to organize and cost about HK$1 million (US$129,000), according to Lui. — Reuters