What Not to Buy and What to Buy During the Ghost Month to Avoid Bad Luck?

The seventh month of the lunar calendar is considered in traditional beliefs to be a time of bad luck and misfortune. Where did this belief originate, and what should one buy during this month to bring good luck and avoid bad luck?

According to Taoist beliefs in China, the seventh month of the lunar calendar is a time when the King of Hell opens the Gates of Hell, allowing the spirits of the dead and demons to return to the living world. This period is believed to begin on the second day of the seventh lunar month and end on the night of the fourteenth.

1What Not to Buy During the Hungry Ghost Month to Avoid Bad Luck?

It is considered taboo to buy or sell valuable items during the Hungry Ghost Month (seventh lunar month):

Don’t Buy a House

During the Hungry Ghost Month, wandering spirits without proper veneration take refuge in empty houses that are up for sale. Buying a house during this month may result in the new owner being haunted and tormented by these spirits, leading to a disrupted life filled with misfortune.

Don’t Buy Land

According to traditional beliefs, the Hungry Ghost Month is when ghosts return to the mortal realm to seek revenge. Buying land during this time may result in purchasing a plot with strong negative energy or one that was once a cemetery.

Don’t Buy a Car

During the Hungry Ghost Month, the spirits of those who died in car accidents linger by the roadside. If you buy a car during this month, you risk having these spirits follow you, leading to bad luck and accidents on the road.

Don’t Buy New Clothes

Many people wonder if it’s okay to buy new clothes during the Hungry Ghost Month. The answer is no. Unvenerated spirits are believed to be hungry and lacking in possessions, so buying new clothes during this month may attract their attention, leading to them borrowing or taking your new garments.

Don’t Buy Gold

Purchasing gold during this month may attract the attention of ghosts, who will assume you are wealthy. They may then haunt you, causing bad luck, in the hopes of receiving offerings, clothing, and fake money to appease them.

Don’t Buy Second-Hand Items

During this month, it is best to avoid buying second-hand items unless you know the previous owner well. This is to prevent any misfortune that may arise from unknowingly purchasing items that belonged to the deceased.

Don’t Buy Mirrors or Glass

Mirrors are believed to be portals to the underworld, and buying one during this month may invite ghostly apparitions to appear in the reflection. Additionally, if a mirror or glass item breaks during transportation or installation, it is considered an omen of bad luck.

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2What to Buy During the Hungry Ghost Month for Good Luck?

Buy Feng Shui Items Like Agate Rings, Quartz Crystals, or Pi Yao Statues

During the seventh lunar month, consider purchasing feng shui items that are compatible with your birth element to dispel negative energy. Items like agate rings, quartz crystals, or Pi Yao statues can help ward off evil spirits.

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Buy Salt

You may have wondered why people sprinkle salt after performing rituals outside their homes or at street corners during this month. Salt is believed to have disinfectant and exorcism properties, which ghosts detest. During the day of pardoning the souls of the deceased, households also sprinkle salt in the corners of their homes to ward off evil spirits or place salt shakers in various rooms to dispel negative energy.

Buy Lighters or Matches

According to ancient beliefs, ghosts typically appear at night and are afraid of light, so they also fear items like lighters and matches. Therefore, during this month, consider buying lighters or matches to ward off evil spirits and avoid bad luck.

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Knowing these taboos can help you feel more at ease during the Hungry Ghost Month. However, if you accidentally break any of these taboos, don’t worry too much. Wishing you all the best and good luck!