Here are the list of the possibilites of traditions to be documented:
1. If you wanted to pee in the rural area, you have to say 'excuse me' before peeing. As if you are asking permission to the spirit that dwells in the area. And do not do it at night, in case you pee on them.
2. The food offerings for random spirits (not the one that is for your ancestors), you must not eat them. If you want to eat it, you have to ask permission. Because if not, the spirits will thinkthat you are snatching away their food.
3. When you are out at night, make your friends called you with your nickname. In case the ghost remember your full name, since if they called it out and you answered them, the spirits will come and get you.
4. Do not take pictures at night for if you accidentally shoot a spirit/s in the photo, it would mean that you are taking the spirit home.
5. And do not sleep on a double bed size alone and on one side. Because in case you turn around, there might be somebody sleeping beside you.
These 5 are the possibilities for an example of what you can do and what you cannot do in Chinese Traditions. As for the documentary itself, we might only choose 3 out of 5 depending on the time it took. Currently, the chosen ones are 1,2,and3 or 5.
9 March 2009
3 March 2009
Filming sequence plan
OPENING SEQUENCE
News report style. There will be 1 person pretending to be an anchore news, talking and explaining what is Chinese Ghost Festival.
2nd SEQUENCE
The anchor news will keep on talking the explanation about the superstitions and traditions while the video will show what is going to happen if you follow or do not follow the 'supposedly' superstitions. (Actions will be carried out in a comedic light hearted way). There will be subtitles as to what is going on.
3rd SEQUENCE
The interview with Buddhist priest (if the face is allowed to be shown).
4th SEQUENCE
Back to the anchor news screen randomly asking people whether they believe in ghost or not. After a few people, it will end by having her speaking the last few sentences. But then, there is a sound of her full name being called and she looked back halfway, then a cutscene. End
News report style. There will be 1 person pretending to be an anchore news, talking and explaining what is Chinese Ghost Festival.
2nd SEQUENCE
The anchor news will keep on talking the explanation about the superstitions and traditions while the video will show what is going to happen if you follow or do not follow the 'supposedly' superstitions. (Actions will be carried out in a comedic light hearted way). There will be subtitles as to what is going on.
3rd SEQUENCE
The interview with Buddhist priest (if the face is allowed to be shown).
4th SEQUENCE
Back to the anchor news screen randomly asking people whether they believe in ghost or not. After a few people, it will end by having her speaking the last few sentences. But then, there is a sound of her full name being called and she looked back halfway, then a cutscene. End
Project explanation
WHAT IT IS ABOUT?
Ghost festival is on the 15th of the 7th month according to Chinese (lunar) calender, but that whole 7th month is called the ghost month. It is when the Gate of Hell is opened and which the ghost and spirits, and also dead ancestors come out and find their living heir if they have not fulfilled their dead ancestors requests.
WHAT TO DO?
During that month, usually the living heir will burn incense and paper money, and also prepare food offerings such as oranges, rice, steamed pork or sometimes their ancestors favourite food. Although later on, their family will eat this. Sometimes, they will also burn miniatures like houses, cars, shoes, clothes, and so on that are made out of paper, because the Chinese believes when you die, you wear nothing and own nothing. So in order to give their deceased family members some comfort in the underworld, the living heir burn these stuffs to them. Some cases, if the stuffs are not burn, the deceased spirit could come back and haunt you.
SUPERSTITIONS/TRADITIONS
1.When somebody calls you in their full name, do not answer or look back, because then they will take you to the underworld.
2.Do not sleep in king bed size alone because something could be sleeping beside you.
3.Burning paper money so that they will have a currency to buy what they want in the underworld.
REASONS FOR DOING THIS PROJECTS
It is unique traditions to Chinese although some other Asian culture might have something similar. But the main reason is that, today, nobody believes in ghost and lean towards science. It is not just the matter of believe because this can also be called as cultural heritage, what the Chinese are made of; their identity. It might sounds ridiculous to outsiders that have never heard of it, but to the Chinese who had been doing it and been implanted these ideas since they were born, it is quite matter, since it is also linked with moral values like filial piety and respect towards the older generation.
Ghost festival is on the 15th of the 7th month according to Chinese (lunar) calender, but that whole 7th month is called the ghost month. It is when the Gate of Hell is opened and which the ghost and spirits, and also dead ancestors come out and find their living heir if they have not fulfilled their dead ancestors requests.
WHAT TO DO?
During that month, usually the living heir will burn incense and paper money, and also prepare food offerings such as oranges, rice, steamed pork or sometimes their ancestors favourite food. Although later on, their family will eat this. Sometimes, they will also burn miniatures like houses, cars, shoes, clothes, and so on that are made out of paper, because the Chinese believes when you die, you wear nothing and own nothing. So in order to give their deceased family members some comfort in the underworld, the living heir burn these stuffs to them. Some cases, if the stuffs are not burn, the deceased spirit could come back and haunt you.
SUPERSTITIONS/TRADITIONS
1.When somebody calls you in their full name, do not answer or look back, because then they will take you to the underworld.
2.Do not sleep in king bed size alone because something could be sleeping beside you.
3.Burning paper money so that they will have a currency to buy what they want in the underworld.
REASONS FOR DOING THIS PROJECTS
It is unique traditions to Chinese although some other Asian culture might have something similar. But the main reason is that, today, nobody believes in ghost and lean towards science. It is not just the matter of believe because this can also be called as cultural heritage, what the Chinese are made of; their identity. It might sounds ridiculous to outsiders that have never heard of it, but to the Chinese who had been doing it and been implanted these ideas since they were born, it is quite matter, since it is also linked with moral values like filial piety and respect towards the older generation.
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