Taiwan Enters Ghost Month in Post-Morakot Pain

Thursday August 20, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Today ushered in Ghost Month in Taiwan. It is a month when many are wary and careful of certain actions. They may choose to not move to a new apartment or home in this month. They may avoid going swimming. They may decide it is time to visit the temple and pray for protection. There are many actions that are governed by this fact. But this year, in post-Morakot suffering, the people of Taiwan, particularly those in the south will have much more on their minds.

Most prominent will be the fact of all the many more ghosts that will be wandering the mountains, valleys, streams and rivers of southern Taiwan. These are the ghosts of people who were buried in mudslides or drowned in the raging waters that resulted from the torrential rains of Typhoon Morakot. Tread softly as you traverse those areas.