China: Qing Ming 'festival of Hungry Ghosts' detail. Song Dynasty.

Hungry ghosts are not the same as ghosts in Chinese tradition. The traditional belief is that people become ghosts when they die, however, it was originally thought that ghosts did not have eternal life, but would slowly weaken and eventually die a second time. Hungry ghosts in traditional thought would only be an issue in exceptional cases, such as if a whole family were killed or when a family no longer venerated their ancestors. With the rise in popularity of Buddhism the idea that souls would live in space until reincarnation became popular. In the Taoist tradition it is believed that hungry ghosts can arise from people whose deaths have been violent or unhappy. Both Buddhism and Taoism share the idea that hungry ghosts can emerge from neglect or desertion of ancestors.

The Qingming Festival (Qīngmíngjié, Ching Ming Festival in Hong Kong, Vietnamese language: Tết Thanh Minh), Pure Brightness Festival or Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice (or the 15th day from the Spring Equinox), usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar.

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