Cuisine & Culture the Chinese Family Way
In my earlier post – Navigating the Hong Kong Island’s Most Iconic Attractions – I mentioned that we first discovered Man Mo Temple through the Hong Kong: Through the Looking Glass Miniature Exhibition 2025 at the Peak Tower. While there are several Man Mo Temples across Hong Kong, the one we visited is located in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island.
In Chinese culture, they are called 婴灵 (Yīng Líng). They are believed to be the souls of babies who were aborted, miscarried, stillborn, or who died shortly after birth. Often, they are not properly buried—especially in cases of abortion in hospitals, where remains may be disposed of as medical waste. In many cases, they are also not given a name or a memorial tablet.
According to Chinese beliefs, these souls are helpless and may linger in the human world, unable to be reborn. This is thought to be especially true for those who were aborted, as their circumstances may give rise to resentment or unrest. Some believe that such spirits may haunt their loved ones—particularly their biological mother—bringing misfortune or harm to the family.
Buying your new home is a very proud moment for you and your family. It is likely one of the most expensive purchases you will make and therefore it’s a big deal for everyone involved. Many Chinese people observe or believe in several Chinese customs.
In my earlier post on the meaning of the 15 days of the Lunar New Year, I mentioned that on the fourth day, it is the day to pray 太岁/Tài Suì for a year of protection and to avert adversities. Now I am going to tell you more about him.
In many of my Chinese New Year blog and craft posts, I’ve often mentioned that the Lunar New Year celebration lasts for 15 days. However, I realised I had never fully explained the meaning, traditions, and significance behind each day of the festival. Finally, I managed to sit down and gather all the information about the 15 days of Lunar New Year celebrations.
Yes, the 15 days are already over and we are now nearing the end of the first lunar month of the Water Rabbit year 2023! Nevertheless, these traditions are fascinating to learn about and are passed down through generations, so I hope you will still enjoy reading about them.
Since I moved to the UK, whenever I fly back to Singapore, my mum will remind me to give my thanks to the Goddess of the Seas Ma Zu. I always do as I’m told, but I have no idea who she is and why. This was quite embarrassing so I would like to use this opportunity to educate myself and of course, if you happened to travel to Singapore, suggest a visit to this historic temple Thian Hock Keng.
One of the highlights of Haw Par Villa Hell’s museum in Singapore is their infamous 10 Courts of Hell. We Chinese believe that in the afterlife, we will get judged by our sins and punishments evolved as ancient civilisations shared their cultures across time and space.
