It’s August 2026, and we are about to witness an eclipse of a lifetime (especially if you’re an Icelander), when a total solar eclipse visible in Iceland for the first time since 1954, and in Spain since 1905.  The next visible solar eclipse over Iceland is in 2196.  This solar eclipse on August 12, 2026 has a maximum totality of 2 minutes and 18 seconds, and occurs on the same day when there is a parade of planets — Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus — visible just before sunrise.  Perseid meteor shower is also at its peak on this day¹.

A Whole Month for Ghosts

Solar eclipse always happens on the day of the new moon, while lunar eclipse is on the night of the full moon.  In Chinese lunisolar calendar, the new moon marks the first day of the month or moon cycle (月).  We are now at the end of the sixth month in the Year of Fire Horse, approaching the seventh month.  The number seven is associated with the dead in Chinese folklore, with many funerary rites are performed seven days after death, and also on the 49th day. The seventh month in the Chinese lunisolar calendar year has a special meaning: It’s called the Ghost Month (鬼月), when it is believed that Gates of the Netherworld (鬼門關) will start opening on the first day of the month, and fully open on the fourteenth night (or midnight of the fifteenth day).  Ghosts — souls of dearly departed and honored ancestors, souls that went to the Netherworld without proper send-offs and receive no regular offerings from the living, vengeful souls holding grudges, even demons — leaves the Netherworld (陰間) and return to the Land of the Living (陽界) on this day.  While many beloved ancestors return and visit the family to offer guidence and blessings, most of the other ghosts returning are “hungry” and “homeless”, because they have not had anyone paying them respect and sending them offerings.  In Chinese culture, it is considered bad karma and a curse to receive no offerings after you die.  Remembrance after death, in the form of offerings and prayers, is considered a reflection of a person’s actions and character in life; lack of remembrance from the living is thought to be the result of the departed having done something terrible during his or her lifetime.  Of course there are those who simply died of unfortunate deaths, particularly during times of war or natural disasters, when the whole family and the entire village perished with no one left behind. Those unfortunate souls become “orphaned” as well.  These “orphaned souls” (孤魂) and “wandering ghosts” (野鬼) are angry that no one remembers them, roaming the Land of the Living, causing trouble and bringing misfortunes.  The only way to appease them is by sending them offerings to relieve their “hunger” and prayers to calm their grudges.

Things to Do During Ghost Month

This is why during the seventh month of every year, on the streets and alleyways of Hong Kong and many Chinese cities and towns, you will find makeshift altars with candles, incense sticks, rice and fruits, sweets, drinks, and an impromptu fireproof container for burning joss money (a.k.a spirit money or ghost money). 鬼節 (literally “ghost festival”) is usually known as Hungry Ghosts Festival in the West. Devout believers collectively give offerings to the orphaned souls and wandering ghosts to prevent them from causing trouble and bringing misfortunes. The ritual activities usually consist of offering prayers while burning ghost money and effigies of luxury goods, and tossing handfuls of uncooked rice into the streets to feed the ghosts. Food and drinks offerings are changed out daily, sometimes three times a day, with old food being burned or offered to street dogs (while rats likely help themselves with nice servings). Prayers and offerings are also given to local land spirits and deities who have power over the dead and the Netherworld. There are also deities who are thought to be officials of the Underworld Court (地府); these officials can forgive wrongdoings of the living and the dead, relieve the suffering of the wandering ghosts and bring blessings to the living. Believers pray to these deities and give them offerings as well, often times also ask for forgiveness of any unvirtuous behavior. Food, drinks, joss money, incense, and other offerings are also given to ancestors to honor them throughout Ghost Month. In Hong Kong and greater Guangdong area, special Cantonese operas are also performed nightly throughout the month in public parks as entertainment for both the living and the dead.

Daoist Priest Performing Ghosts Appeasing Rite

168 people and hundreds of pets died in a massive fire in Hong Kong in November, 2025. The families hired a Daoist priest to perform rites during Ghost Month to honor the dead and soothe their souls.

What NOT To Do During Ghost Month

There are many local superstitions connected to the Hungry Ghost Festival; they are generally lists of Don’ts during the Ghost Month to protect oneself from mishaps. Here are seven of the most common taboos based on Hong Kong/Guangdong superstitions²:

Taboo 1: Don’t be rude

If you pass by someone making offerings to the ghosts on the streets, be respectful. Don’t be rude to the believer, don’t mess with the offerings, and don’t step on the joss money that is scattered on the streets.

Taboo 2: Don’t stay out late, especially don’t go out after midnight

Yin energy (陰氣), which is considered harmful to the living, tends to be stronger at night time. Hungry ghosts thrive on yin energy. Don’t go out at night or stay out late during Ghost Month, especially if your health is not optimal — your yang energy (陽氣) or essence of the living weakened. Also avoid cemeteries, deserted alleyways or secluded temples, where yin energy is strong.

Taboo 3: Don’t stand close to or walk along walls

Apparently ghosts like to hang on around cold walls, especially desolate, dark and damp areas, according to some Feng Shui masters. Getting too close to a wall might invite negative spirits or energy into your body.

Taboo 4: Don’t go to bars or clubs

People under influence of alcohol or drugs tend to attract hungry ghosts, because your mind becomes clouded and weak, and the ghosts can steal your essence when you’re in a confused state of mind. Obviously bars and clubs are full of people under influence, so those places are also full of hungry ghosts. Avoid going to bar and clubs during Ghost Month.

Taboo 5: Don’t wear red or black

The color red is associated with vengeful ghosts in Chinese superstitions. When someone commits suicide wearing red, especially a woman, it is believed that she will turn into a powerful vindictive ghost. If you wear red during Ghost Month, you might be mistaken as a spiteful spirit. It is also believed that red draws the attention of hungry ghosts. The color black attracts negative (yin) energy, and when yin energy is particularly strong during Ghost Month, you can absorb so much negativity that you become seriously ill if you wear black.

Taboo 6: Don’t hang bells or wind chimes

Unlike the Western folk belief of bells can ward against evil and negative energy, Chinese people believe that ghosts are attracted to the metallic sound of bells. Don’t hang wind chimes or bells around the house, and don’t wear jewelry that makes tinkling sound, then you can avoid attracting the ghosts’ attention.

Taboo 7: Don’t answer a holler

If you are walking in a desolate area late at night, and hear someone calling your full name, don’t ever answer or look back. Similar to some European superstitions of not answering calls to you while in a forest or revealing your name to the fae folks, Chinese people believe the late night hollers come from spirits, and it is best not to answer.

There are many other no-no’s depending on the local customs. For example, no whistling at night or you will attract the attention of spirits. That is a superstition shared by Appalachian folks. Don’t tap people on their shoulders, because according to folk beliefs, we all have “spirit fires” on our shoulders and top of the head. Tapping someone on his shoulder might distinguish the fire and making him vulnerable to spirit attacks. Avoid using the number four during Ghost Month, because phonically the number four (四) sounds like the word “death” or “to die” (死). Of course we should avoid mentioning “death”, or anything sounds like it, when we are surrounded by hungry ghosts. If you see money or red envelopes (利是) on the ground, don’t pick it up as those are offerings for hungry ghosts. You don’t want to give the ghosts the impression that you are stealing from them.

The Solar Eclipse/Ghost Month Connection

The beginning of this year’s Ghost Month is marked by a very special total solar eclipse. This is the fourth time Gates of the Netherworld cracks open during a total solar eclipse in the past 300 years. According to Instagram account @ttt.110625, the last three times this phenomenon happened, disasters — particularly earthquakes — striked each time…

August 18, 1868 – Arica (part of Peru/ Chile)

A massive 8.8-9.1 magnitude earthquake hit the region on August 13, 1868³, causing a devastating tsunami with run-up reaching 69 feet (21 meters). It devastated ports and settlements across southern Peru and northern Chile, while also sending waves across the Pacific to Hawaii, Japan, and New Zealand. Casualty: approximately 25,000.

August 11, 1999 – İzmit, Northern Turkey

An earthquake with magnitude 7.6 struck Kocaeli Province, Turkey on 17 August 1999⁴, devastating the area with at least 18,373 deaths, 48,901 people were injured during the earthquake, and 5,840 people were missing. The earthquake is remembered as one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern Turkish history.

August 1, 2008 – Sichuan, China

A catastrophic earthquake measured at 8.0 Mw registered magnitude struck Sichuan Province, China on May 12, 2008⁵, with epicenter near Chengdu. Over 69,000 people lost their lives, more than 374,000 people were reported injured, and 18,000 listed as missing. It was the 4th deadliest natural disaster of the decade, and is the 18th deadliest earthquake of all time.

August 12, 2026 – Western Colombia / Northwestern and Central Venezuela

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, August 10, 2026⁶, killing at least 111 people. And about two months prior, on 24 June 2026, two large strike-slip earthquakes affected northwestern and central Venezuela⁷. As of August 2026, more than 6,300 people were reported dead in the June 24 disaster, approximately 61,000 were hospitalized, and tens of thousands remain missing.

Were the solar eclipses harbingers of death to deliver those who perished in the disasters to the Underworld, in time for the opening of the Gates of the Underworld? Or did the massive level of yin/negative spirit energy escaping from the Netherworld, combined with a weakened yang/positive spirit energy during a solar eclipse, caused these calamities? Many cultures share the same belief that solar eclipse is an omen of misfortune and catastrophe; based on these events , it is very understandable how this belief came to be across the world.

But There Is Hope…

Gates of the Netherworld close on the last day of the seventh month, all wandering souls must return to the Netherworld. A few might refuse to leave, and they will continue to wander as “homeless ghosts”. This year the Gates close on the night of September 10, 2026. As the new moon arrives and a new lunisolar month starts, the month of wandering ghosts comes to an end, and we begin the celebration of the Harvest Moon.

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_12,_2026
2. https://www.fwd.com.hk/zh/blog/lifestyle/7-tips-of-hungry-ghost-festival/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1868_Arica_earthquake
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_%C4%B0zmit_earthquake
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake
6. https://apnews.com/article/colombia-ecuador-earthquake-26fd40f93272d834fced47a4a673edc9
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Venezuela_earthquakes