Introduction
This paper adopts a critical heritage approach to interrogate the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) inscription exercise in Hong Kong by reference to the case study of the Yulan 盂蘭 (Hungry Ghosts) Festival of the Hong Kong Chiu Chow (Chaozhou) community since 2009. The Yulan Festival has its origin in the Yulanpen Sutra (yulanpen jing 盂蘭盆經), which recounts how one of the Buddha’s disciples, Mulian , found that his deceased mother was reborn and starving in the hungry ghost realm. Mulian sought help from the Buddha and managed to release his mother from suffering by offering food to the monastic community. Today, the festival is held on the seventh month of the lunar calendar and is celebrated in different Chinese communities, including mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. It is a festival for believers to pray for their ancestors and pacify the wandering ghosts of the netherworld.The festival celebrations were mainly brought to Hong Kong by migra...