新加坡鬼月的歌台，前排座位是空着的，那是留给“好兄弟”的

Singaporeans and Malaysian Chinese: every year in the seventh lunar month is Ghost Month, and various communities set up stages for singing, called "getai". Performances start around eight or nine in the evening; singers wear sparkly outfits and sing pop songs in Hokkien, Teochew, and Mandarin. A crowd of elderly people sit below the stage, bringing small stools and thermos flasks.

Whenever you go to a getai, there is always a strange sight: directly in front of the stage, those rows of red plastic chairs are empty.

The organizers specifically state that the front row is reserved for the "good brothers", meaning the ghosts' seats, and people must not sit there. In some places, they also arrange a row of incense and candles before the stage, place fruits, burn joss paper, light incense, and invite the "good brothers" to take their seats.

Before the show begins, the singers and hosts speak to the empty seats: "Good brothers, we're here tonight, have fun everyone!" The elderly people in the audience laugh along.

Getai songs are lively and sung very loudly, with deafening speakers. The older generation says that during Ghost Month, lonely souls and wandering ghosts all come out; no one worships them, no one misses them, so the most lively method must be used to let them watch a show, have a meal, and enjoy themselves for one night, otherwise they will cause trouble on the streets.

Some getai also have a fixed segment: an auction. They auction off offerings, such as a pair of large candles or a large lucky bag; the highest bidder wins, and the money is donated to temples and charities.

After the singing ends, everyone collects the offerings together and goes home. The next morning, the stage is taken down, those rows of red chairs are empty again, waiting for the next show.

#Folklore #网络转载 #新加坡