Biggest Tai Su Yeah (King Of Hades), Bukit Mertajam – It’s hungry ghost month (Phor Thor), or just simply the 7th month in the lunar calendar. It’s one culture festival for the Chinese. It used to be a very eerie month but with the busy city nightlife and the loud ‘kotai’ playing at almost every neighbourhood, the eerie feeling gets away.
Taboos are strictly observed in this month to respect the dead spirit (we call them ‘buddies’). Parents always warn children not to play at night or go out till late night in this month. Yeah, I still don’t really dare to get pass midnight where the city gets quieter a bit. Haha.
During hungry ghost month, many people worship the King Of Hades – Tai Su Yeah. Peter Tan has a good write up of Tai Su Yeah. I went to Jalan Pasar at Bukit Mertajam (玄天庙) to visit the biggest Tai Su Yeah in Malaysia and also do a little prayer.
It was very crowded. Worshipper of all ages offering the Tai Su Yeah/King Of Hades with joss stick, ‘gold’ paper, and fruits. I prayed and I went away. There’s a few thing you cannot do at there, considered taboo, like you need to be careful of what you talk, no vulgar stuff, have to be kind, and do not place anything on their offering table even for just a while, it will be considered as coffering to the ‘buddies’ and the Tai Su Yeah.
Well, Happy Hungry Ghost Month!
No Comments