Japanese Ghost Festival
Are you familiar with these??
If yes, then you probably been to Bon Odori (or Obon). Bon Odori is a fun-filled event with decent Japanese food and kawaii girls. Everything is nice there except the fact that Bon Odori is not an event. It's a dance to honor the spirits of ancestors.
Bon Odori originates from the story of Maha Maudgalyayana (nice name), a disciple of Buddha, who has supernatural abilities (while meditating) to look upon his deceased mother. He discovered that she had fallen into the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering (Notice how similar it is to Hungry Ghost Festival which is also on the 7th month of the calender). Any food that she touches burst into flames. Disturbed, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother from this realm. Buddha instructed him to make offerings to the many Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat, on the fifteenth day of the seven month (Notice the seventh month again). The disciple did this and, thus, he saw his mother's release. From the release, he began to see the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices that she had made for him. The disciple, happy because of his mother release and grateful for his mother's kindness danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori. So in reflection, I feel we should at least feed the needy first (the ones living and in need) before we celebrate anything for our ancestors.
Explanation part: Some of you asked what has Bon Odori related to Hungry Ghost Festival. Well, Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. The key word here is Buddhist. Buddhism and Taoism are related somehow, hence the show "Journey to the West". However the starting days varies within different regions when the lunar calendar was changed to Gregorian calender at the beginning of the Meiji era. However, seriously I feel in order to honor the deceased, dances should be slow, calm and memorable just like Final Fantasy X: The Sending.
Bon Odori is celebrated every July in Penang at Esplande. This year it's on the 21st July.
If yes, then you probably been to Bon Odori (or Obon). Bon Odori is a fun-filled event with decent Japanese food and kawaii girls. Everything is nice there except the fact that Bon Odori is not an event. It's a dance to honor the spirits of ancestors.
Bon Odori originates from the story of Maha Maudgalyayana (nice name), a disciple of Buddha, who has supernatural abilities (while meditating) to look upon his deceased mother. He discovered that she had fallen into the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering (Notice how similar it is to Hungry Ghost Festival which is also on the 7th month of the calender). Any food that she touches burst into flames. Disturbed, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother from this realm. Buddha instructed him to make offerings to the many Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat, on the fifteenth day of the seven month (Notice the seventh month again). The disciple did this and, thus, he saw his mother's release. From the release, he began to see the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices that she had made for him. The disciple, happy because of his mother release and grateful for his mother's kindness danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori. So in reflection, I feel we should at least feed the needy first (the ones living and in need) before we celebrate anything for our ancestors.
Explanation part: Some of you asked what has Bon Odori related to Hungry Ghost Festival. Well, Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. The key word here is Buddhist. Buddhism and Taoism are related somehow, hence the show "Journey to the West". However the starting days varies within different regions when the lunar calendar was changed to Gregorian calender at the beginning of the Meiji era. However, seriously I feel in order to honor the deceased, dances should be slow, calm and memorable just like Final Fantasy X: The Sending.
Bon Odori is celebrated every July in Penang at Esplande. This year it's on the 21st July.
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