The Chinese believe that the dead become ghosts between heaven and earth. Spirits without descendants to care for them are summoned during the Ghost Festival so that they may also enjoy the warmth of life among the living. This custom -- an extension of the traditional Chinese ethic of "universal love" -- has been woven together with the didactic legend, "Moginlin Saving His Mother From Hades." It lends the Ghost Festival a positive spin as a time for remembering the importance of filial piety. People now have inherited releasing river light as an important activity. It is said that river light can comfort and warm homeless ghosts.

 Burial of the dead

In the past, the burial of the dead (cremation is traditionally uncommon) was a matter taken very seriously in Chinese society. Improper funeral arrangements could wreak ill fortune and disaster upon the family of the deceased.

To a certain degree, Chinese funeral rites and burial customs were determined by the age of the deceased, the manner of his/her death, his/her status and position in society and his/her marital status.

According to Chinese custom, an older person should not show respect to someone younger. Thus, if the deceased was a young bachelor his body could not be brought home but was left at the funeral parlor and the parents could not offer prayers for their son. Since the deceased was unmarried he had no children to perform the rites, which was why the body did not enter the family home. If a baby or child died no funeral rites were performed since respect could not be shown to a younger person. The child was, therefore, buried in silence.

Chinese funeral rites for an elderly person must follow the prescribed form and convey the relevant rites that befit the person.

 Chinese thoughts towards life after death

Young women in traditional societies are rarely endowed with much power, and malignant powers are only summoned with keen hatred and a desire for revenge. The more badly one is wronged, the more powerful he or she becomes after death.