Ancestors have a special seat at the table for 'Ghost Festival'

The first time I ever experienced "Ghost Festival" with my husband's family in their rural Zhejiang village, it was the table that caught my attention.

Zhongyuan Festival, also known as Ghost Festival, falls on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month each year.

Two candles up front illuminated a fine spread of homemade delicacies from my mother-in-law's kitchen, from spicy stewed fish to red-braised pork. The food was surrounded by six white, porcelain rice bowls with chopsticks and six tiny matching cups filled generously with the local rice wine.