• When Chinese migrants first came to Southeast Asia, they formed associations based on kinship or locality to support each other in an unfamiliar environment. These associations were known as kongsi, meaning “common governance”. Facing difficult conditions, many died in foreign lands. Without their families to perform the funeral rituals for them, these deceased were believed to roam around as wandering spirits. Their compatriots followed the rituals of their homeland and performed rites for these spirits during the seventh month of the lunar calendar, conducting “salvation rituals” (“作普渡”) to help them on their “journey” in the afterlife. The term “good brothers” meant these lost souls were part of the kongsi brotherhood.
• Out of respect, and partly to avoid taboos, people started referring to these wandering spirits as “good brothers”, and the rites for them became known as “praying for the good brothers”.
• The Chinese in Singapore traditionally make offerings to the wandering spirits during the seventh month, to pray for “peace and general well-being”.

On the twelfth day of the seventh lunar month, a thousand people visited the cemetery at night to make offerings to the “good brothers” before the grave relocation process. Some temple groups applied for special permission from the authorities to enter the cordoned-off areas of the cemetery to make offerings to the wandering spirits. (Shin Min Daily News, 3/9/2017)

孤魂野鬼 (Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong), 无主孤魂 (Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong)