According to legend, the gates of Hell are opened at the break of dawn on the first day of the seventh moon, letting the anguished souls in the world darkness return to earth to visit their descendants and enjoy the feasts prepared in their honor. Ghosts without families to return to wander aimlessly across the earth. To avoid being harassed by these outcasts, people offer sacrifices to the homeless ghosts as well as to their ancestors on the 15th day. The ceremony comes to a climax when the priest tosses buns and candy to hungry ghosts. The wathing crowd all rush to gather up the long-awaited sweets.

In most areas, ghosts are dealt with outside the temple or home, or by graveside altars. Individual family would offer them raw and uncooked rice, raw noodles, unpeeled fruit, and uncut meat, similar to the dishes offered at an ancestor's outdoor gravesite.

Materials gifts include stacks of paper, ingots, and spirit money, as well as small paper suits of clothing adn jewelry. These offerings to vagabond ghosts, although abundant, don't begin to compare to the fantasic collection of pater miniatures offered to ancestors.