7th Lunar Month: Yin Zhen Dian Temple Association

Every year, the Yin Zhen Dian Temple Association (狮城阴阵殿公庙) at Lorong 34 Geylang organises its 7th Lunar Month festival on the final week of the month. Due to a lack of space in Geylang, the temple trucks its offerings to an open field off Defu Lane 10 for burning.

I turned up there on Thursday evening (25 August, the 28th day of the 7th Lunar Month) to catch the ritual. The stacking of offerings alone took more than an hour. It was a sight to behold. More than a dozen people laboured under a steady drizzle as dusk gave way to night.

A temple staff, Mr Lim, shared that the ceremony is dedicated to Zhou Bao Bei Ye (周包贝爷), a deity of the temple. From the little that I know, Zhou Bao Bei Ye is a guardian of fortune of the netherworld.

Does the burning take place on the same date every year, I asked. No, said Mr Lim. “Zhou Bao Bei Ye picks the date. When it’s time for him to come, the rain will stop.” Indeed, the rain, which had gone on for much of the afternoon, had abruptly stopped.

Eventually, a loud convoy of neon-lit floats arrived, with Zhou Bao Bei Ye on a sedan chair carried by devotees. After a short, lively ceremony led by temple founder Master Choo, the mountain of offerings was put to the flames.

7th Lunar Month: Block 252 Jurong East Street 24

Headed to the west of the island on Thursday (25 August, the 28th day of the 7th Lunar Month) to visit the 7th Lunar Month festival organised by the Jurong East Society of Peace (Yu Lang Dong Ping An She / 裕廊东平安社). They occupied a huge tent over a hard court next to Block 252 Jurong East Street 24.

Chatted with the head organiser Mr Lim. He and some friends living in the Jurong East area had banded together and formed a society to commemorate the 7th Lunar Month. Their first festival was in 1993 and they’ve been going strong ever since. They even made their own orange polo Ts.

I was intrigued by the layout of the festival space - the main altar in the middle, flanked by King Yama’s Palace (Sen Luo Dian / 森罗殿) on the left and the King of Ghosts, Da Shi Ye (大士爷), on the right. “Everyone does it differently,” Mr Lim said.

A lot was going on. Taoist priests conducting prayers, a traditional opera performance for the spirits. It was a feast for the senses.

7th Lunar Month: Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre

Visited the 7th Lunar Month festival at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre (Block 6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza) last Sunday afternoon (14 August, the 17th day of the 7th Lunar Month). Arrived just in time to catch the start of the burning of paper offerings. There were a lot of sweets and candy offered too.

Spoke to Roger, the organiser of the festival. He told me the festival was started by him, an individual initiative - there’s no formal association - 20 years ago.

There was a market association, and a shop owners’ association in the neighbouring block (Block 5), but both had decided that this year’s 7th Lunar Month observance would be their last. The organisers are in their 70s and 80s and they couldn’t find successors, he lamented. Now his festival will be the only one left in the market.

I asked him why so many offerings at ground level for child and baby spirits. “I care specially for children,” he said. “And (child spirits) are especially ‘ling’ (efficacious in dispensing blessings)”.

He pointed at the toys and sweets on the floor, neatly arranged and patterned. “See? I make sure they’re all laid out nicely. It takes ages.”

He was clearly proud of his work providing for the wandering spirits. That’ll keep him going long after the others have thrown in the towel.