Dos and Don’t during Ghost Month
Every holiday has its special customs Every holiday has its special customs. Taiwanese believe that in the 7th month of the lunar calendar, or Ghost Month, ghosts will come out from the Gates of Hell and wander around in the living world. The best way to treat these wandering souls is to burn ghost money for them to spend and offer food and drinks as sacrifices for ghosts to dine on. In the middle of the month, water lanterns light the way for the souls of the drowned.
During this month, activities such as weddings, swimming, and moving should be put on hold until all the ghosts return to the underground, and the Gates of Hell finally close.
Vocabulary dos and Don’t 該做和不該做的事 lunar calendar 農曆 Ghost Month 鬼月 Gates of Hell 鬼門關 living world 人世間(陽界) wandering souls 孤魂野鬼 (也有人戲稱為homeless ghosts) ghost money 冥紙錢 sacrifices 供俸(v)、祭品(n)
dine on 享用飲食 water lanterns 水燈 souls of the drowned 溺死的鬼 wedding 婚禮 moving 搬家 put on hold 暫停 underground 陰間
Analysis 1.holiday 可以當做假期，也可以做節慶festival 2. in the 7th month of the lunar calendar 是農曆七月的說法，和陽曆七月(July)不同。 3.The best way to…them is to…for…to… 4.wandering souls 指這些靈魂正四處遊蕩 5.drowned 被淹死 the drowned 被淹死的人 the poor窮人 the rich富人