A man burns paper statues in a furnace during the month of Hungry Ghost Festival (Yu Lan) in Hong Kong on August 19, 2018.
It is believed that the 'Gates of Hell' are opened during the seventh month in the lunar calendar to let out the hungry ghosts who then wander in the land of the living while foraging for food. Food offerings are made while paper money and incense sticks are burnt outside homes to keep the spirits of dead ancestors happy and to bring good luck, while Chinese opera performances are given to praise the charitable and pious deeds of deities.