Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts, Festivals of China by Carol Stepanchuk and Charles Wong

An outstanding introduction to the variety of popular Chinese festivals, including Lunar New Year, Qingming (Tomb-sweeping Day), Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and many more. Illustrated throughout, with appendicies, glossary, bibliography, and index.

This book classifies the major festivals according to this traditional division, rather than following a month-by-month chronology, which is how most previous studies of Chinese festivals have been organized.  For reference, however, a chronological listing of celebrations selected from the Chinese almanac (Tong Shu), which is somewhat similar to the Farmer's Almanac, is included in the Appendix.

Thus, the first section section focuses on beliefs and customs having to do with families and their relations with the gods, while the second section features the dark side of festival lore which is concerned more with the death and care of ancestors and uncared-for ghosts.

About the Authors
Author Carol Stepanchuk's in Chinese fold culture and celebrations began when she was a student of Chinese at the University of Massachusetts and the University of California at Berkeley.  She has lived and traveled in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, and has pursued her fascination with Chinese art and religion through her work at San Francisco's Asian museums, cultural centers and galleries.  She now resides in Michigan with her husband and two children.

Born in Amoy, China, author Charles Wong was educated in China at the Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages and is a graduate of Swarthmore College.  He has maintained a deep interest in traditional Chinese culture, and is currently working with a US import/export company.


English, paperback, 143 pages

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