SINGAPORE. 1997. Singaporeans of Chinese descent believe that on July 1 according to the old calendar, which is equivalent to late August or early September, the gates of hell are opened and ghosts with empty stomachs return to wander about the earth for two weeks. This period is called the Yue Lan Festival. To appease the hungry ghosts who feel they have been forgotton by their relatives, Buddhist priests read sutras and offer ghosts food and play money and cars and houses made of paper.