Hungry Ghost month runs from 13 August to 10 September 2026, with the peak on 27 August.
Expect fires in metal bins, food offerings at void decks and loud getai stages behind HDB blocks. Some households count the close a day later, on 11 September.
What it is
Many Chinese families in Singapore mark the seventh lunar month as Hungry Ghost month, or Zhong Yuan Jie.
They believe the gates between worlds open and the departed walk among the living. Families lay out food, burn paper money and goods, and stage shows for them. Temples hold prayers through the month.
The National Library Board has a short explainer on Zhong Yuan Jie.
Think of Undas. Different faith, same idea: you don't forget the people who raised you.
What not to do
Don't step on, kick or move offerings: food, incense, candles, and the ash heaps near the bins. If you nudge one by accident, step back and carry on.
Don't take the food, even sealed snacks and drinks.
Don't sit in the front row at a getai. Those chairs are for the guests of honour.
Don't burn joss paper on grass, walkways, driveways or beside parked cars. Use the town council's metal burners, never leave one burning unattended, and check the fire is out.
Don't leave food offerings out overnight once prayers end. Ants and rats follow.
Don't film anyone mid-ritual without asking.
Don't joke about it where neighbours can hear.
Taboos your neighbours may keep
These don't bind you, but they explain behaviour you may see:
no whistling after dark
not turning around when you hear your name on an empty street
no late-night swimming
no laundry left outside overnight
not picking up money or red packets found on the ground
no chopsticks standing upright in rice, which mirrors joss sticks for the dead
not killing moths or large insects indoors, thought to be visiting relatives
avoiding the last train home or walking alone in the small hours
Some families keep all of them, others none. Respect them without mockery.
Fires and smoke
Town councils put extra metal bins around HDB estates for the month. The Taoist and Buddhist federations ask devotees to burn in those bins, in small amounts, away from cars and walkways, and to clear offerings after prayers.
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If your employer keeps the custom and asks you to help, use the bins, not the corridor. Burning in the wrong spot can cost a fine, like an open flame or littering.
Heavy burning makes the air smoky on still nights. If someone at home has asthma, shut the windows after dark and keep the inhaler close.
Getai
Getai means song stage: free live singing, dialect comedy and variety acts, often running late.
The front row of red chairs stays empty even in a packed crowd. Those seats belong to the spirits. Watch from further back.
How it affects your plans
Many families avoid marrying, moving house, starting a business or buying a car during the seventh month.
Room hunting? Expect slower viewings and landlords happy to wait until September. The HDB rules for renting a room apply whatever the month.
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In sales, property or renovation, plan for thinner weeks. Some buyers use the season to bargain with sellers keen to close in August.
The month follows the moon, so the dates change every year. In 2026 it opens right after the SG61 National Day long weekend.
Getai schedules and burning-bin spots come from your town council and vary block to block. For burning rules, check the National Environment Agency or your town council.
