food, food for funerals, dim sum, cha siu baos

Celebrating the birth of a book – Conversations with a Hungry Ghost: Memoir of a Reluctant Medium

~ carolelouie ~ Leave a comment

There is a Chinese proverb about a red thread of fate that connects us. I felt that red thread pull me to my ancestral villages in China, and through the veil that separates most folks from the spirit world. It played such a huge part in my life even before I knew anything about anything. So, naturally, it graces the cover of my book that I just released on Amazon. I hope you’ll check it out.

Conversations with a Hungry Ghost: Memoir of a Reluctant Medium.

Through the course of writing my story, I am no longer a reluctant medium.

For more information about my book launch, appearances and, of course, a Hungry Ghost Festival, go to my Events Page.

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To people, food is heaven

~ carolelouie ~ Leave a comment

The most common greeting in China is “Chi le mei?” (Have you eaten?) Maybe, because dining plays a central role in all social settings. An ancient Chinese proverb says, “Min yi shi weitian.” (To people, food is heaven.)  __Paraphrased from “A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts – A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales” by Ying Chang Compestine

When my dad died and, as per Buddhist tradition, there was a spread of food at his wake. At that time, I did not know the significance of each of the types of food, so I said, “I want cha siu baos at my funeral.” (Served during Dim Sum (“small meals to delight your heart” – sort of Chinese tapas), cha siu baos are buns with a Chinese barbecue pork mixture filling, and can be baked or steamed.)

So, here’s a strange question: What kind of food do you want in your heaven?

Me? I’d want a banquet of all sorts of food. Not just Chinese, but rather food from a variety of cultures, and of course, I would be able to eat and eat to my heart’s content without feeling bloated or gaining a gazillion pounds.

Til then, I will follow the Buddhist mantra: eat in moderation.