Ho Chi Minh City residents participate in Hungry Ghost Festival rituals

On the afternoon of the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, hundreds of people gathered in the Chợ Quán ward of Ho Chi Minh City to participate in the ‘giat co hon’ ritual. Participants, many carrying rackets and foam boxes, crowded the streets to collect offerings as they were distributed.

One local business owner, Tran Bang Tri, prepared an offering including 500 gift portions intended for people in difficult circumstances. While some gifts were distributed via organized queues using pre-issued vouchers, the ritual also involved the traditional practice of scattering money from above, prompting large crowds to rush forward to collect the falling notes.