Best things to do during the Hungry Ghost Festival

Filled with history, the Wan Chai neighbourhood has always been a hotspot for many ghost stories and urban legends. That's why Viva Blue House – a community-led cultural conservation group – is hosting a thrilling tour that will take brave souls through some of the most haunted locations in Wan Chai. From a military brothel where women were raped and murdered during the war to a funeral home-turned cinema that eventually closed down due to the overwhelming amount of ghost sightings; participants will get to explore the neighbourhood in a whole new light.

Tour route: Southorn Playground > East Town building > Pak Kung Temple > Star Street > St. Luke's College > Tong Jai High School > Nam Koo Terrace

Register here

Want to learn more about all the different ceremonies and customs during the Hungry Ghost Festival? With the use of Metaverse technologies, the Hong Kong Shue Yan University has created a virtual museum where visitors can experience the 'live' events of the Yu Lan Festival that used to take place at the old Triangular Pier in Sheung Wan. Through an ultra-high-definition 8K panoramic video, viewers will be able to explore the virtual museum in their own home using VR devices or the AltspaceVR program, which you can download for Oculus, Windows, or Mac. 

Aiming to encourage the public to reflect on the importance of life and death, local charity Heart-to-Heart Life Education Foundation is hosting a Yu Lan Virtual Run this Hungry Ghost Festival. To participate, racers will have to walk a total of 30km on any day between now and September 5 and visit at least five Gardens of Remembrance owned by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. You can plan your route freely, and any funds raised from the event will be used to support the charity's community life education and grief counselling services. 

Register here

Have yourself the most authentic Hungry Ghost experience and take part in the traditional Yu Lan Festival. Held in various neighbourhoods across the city, the festival is organised by Chiu Chow natives in Hong Kong and has been around since the 19th Century. Activities during the festival include burning paper offerings, performing Chiu Chow operas, reciting sutras to transcend the souls of the dead, distributing auspicious rice and more.

Many Buddhist temples celebrate Yu Lan, and the Tsz Shan Monastery is no exception. This year, the monastery is arranging a live broadcast via Facebook to allow more people to participate. Sadly, registration for the event is full, but do check back on the Tsz Sha Monastery Facebook page to catch highlights of the event.