Mrs. Hai’s house is at the edge of the village, right next to the local cemetery. Her house is old, with faded roof tiles, but it always has a warm hearth and is filled with the pungent aroma of garlic and dried garlic skins. During the ghost month of July, the village folks whisper tales of the chilly winds, “ghosts playing tricks,” and how the children are scared and have trouble sleeping, while the elderly and weak fall sick easily.
Yet, no one has ever seen Mrs. Hai fear these cemetery stories. She waves children running by her house inside, offering them small bowls of porridge or dried garlic skins to burn on their porches.
Through her, the villagers learned to use garlic to ward off evil spirits and dispel negative energy after visiting the cemetery. When asked, Mrs. Hai just smiles, showing her gums, and says, “I’m not superstitious, but I believe the warm, spicy, and fragrant smell of garlic keeps people alert and healthy, driving away any evil spirits. The garlic scent reminds everyone to keep their homes warm, their hearts at peace, and their bodies pure—first dispelling the ‘evil’ in their own minds.”
She recalls how her granddaughter once stayed with her during the summer break, right in the middle of the rainy and windy ghost month. The child caught a cold and coughed incessantly. Mrs. Hai cooked garlic porridge and burned a handful of garlic skins on the porch. After finishing the garlic porridge, her granddaughter’s cough, fever, and fear of ‘ghosts’ all disappeared.
Since then, Mrs. Hai’s house has always been filled with the aroma of roasted garlic, creating a warm atmosphere. Her garden is now planted with lots of garlic, some for eating and selling, while the dried skins are collected and given to villagers passing by.
Garlic has been associated with many legends, from hanging garlic at the door to various folk rituals… Photo: Internet
Folk belief: Garlic wards off evil spirits and negative energy during the ghost month
According to Feng Shui expert Ha Thanh, garlic has long been considered a symbol of yang energy, warmth, and health by our ancestors. Folk practices use garlic to dispel gloom and negative energy while increasing yang energy in the body.
In an era when medicine and spirituality were not clearly distinguished, the ancients intuitively and experientially realized that garlic could provide natural protection against illnesses (commonly referred to as ‘evil energy’). Hence, garlic is associated with numerous legends—from hanging garlic at the door to ward off “evil spirits” to various folk rituals for home and personal protection. This gave rise to the belief in garlic’s power to dispel evil.
What does modern science say about garlic?
However, through the lens of modern science, garlic is very familiar and beneficial to humans, helping to maintain energy, health, and mental peace.
In traditional Chinese medicine, garlic is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-boosting properties.
Western medicine attributes garlic’s benefits to allicin and sulfur compounds, which act as natural “antibiotics,” effectively preventing bacteria, viruses, and fungi while reducing inflammation. Garlic’s essence supports cardiovascular and metabolic health and is studied for its potential in cancer prevention, bone and joint health, digestive support, and even longevity when consumed regularly.
East meets West—from “dispelling evil” to “protection”
The folk belief in garlic’s power has been passed down from generation to generation, combined with Eastern and Western medical interpretations that subtly explain its practical benefits. This transforms garlic from dispelling evil to offering protection in various ways:
– Hanging garlic bulbs or placing them at the entrance, according to folk belief, dispels evil spirits and negative energy. Scientifically, it helps eliminate damp and musty odors, creating yang energy and preventing illnesses associated with damp environments.
– Burning garlic skins and roasting garlic cloves in the kitchen: Scientifically, this is called air purification and disinfection, creating a sense of ease and peace for the household.
– Carrying garlic bulbs to humid places or places with negative energy that can cause illness (such as hospitals and cemeteries) is a way to boost yang energy.
Garlic creates a sense of reassurance, warmth, and increased yang energy when used in the home. Photo: Internet
Using garlic positively, rationally, and without superstition
Garlic creates a sense of reassurance, warmth, and increased yang energy when used in the home. Its main benefits, according to science and experience, lie in its allicin and sulfur compounds, which have antibacterial, antiviral, immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and cold-preventive properties.
Garlic is not a magical charm or a mysterious talisman, but it does have healing properties and can uplift energy during the ghost month by providing loving care and fostering a belief in goodness and peace of mind.
Cooking a bowl of garlic porridge for your loved ones is not just about wishing for miracles but also about sowing warmth, breathing life, and instilling faith in the small yet enduring power of everyday miracles.
Burning dried garlic skins dispels fear, illness, and anxiety within. During the seventh lunar month (the ghost month) or any rainy, chilly period—when you keep your kitchen hearth burning, your porridge fragrant with garlic, and your mind alert and loving—you are already dispelling evil in the best way possible.
Feng shui information in this article is for reference only.
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