Buddhists celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival ceremony known as "O-bon," to celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival is not only to honor the dead family members, for Buddhists, this is the day commemorating the head Lin, for his filial piety to .
Lotus head to save the mother's story is from the "Tripitaka" (imported from India〕 Buddhism, according to "Tripitaka" the records, head to Lin in the underworld after the House through a lot of hard work, to see his dead mother, Liu tortured by a group of hungry, head Lin Quarter fitted with basin bowl for her to eat, but hungry claimed Quarter. main help head Lotus Buddhist master Lin was head of the arrangement and moved by the award of Bon . Head Lin in accordance with the instructions in the July 15 Bon fruit with honors mothers, mothers who suffer from hunger has finally been food. to commemorate the head arrangement Lin, Buddhists have a big year, "Bon will be. "
Taoists believe that early in July from the Lunar New Year with the ghosts of hell Open the door, off ghosts from the earth to accept the sacrifice. From the spirits of human interference in order to harm, they set up in the July 15 "Middle Purdue", dedicated to food and burning paper money to appease the ghosts of those non-owners.
佛教徒庆祝中元节的仪式称为“盂兰盆会”，庆祝中元节不仅是为了拜祭死去的亲人，对佛教徒来说，这也是纪念目莲的日子，藉以表扬他的孝道。
目莲救母的故事是出自《大藏经》（由印度传入的佛理〕，根据《大藏经》的记载，目莲在阴间地府经历千辛万苦后，见到他死去的母亲刘氏四娘受一群饿鬼折磨，目莲用钵盆装菜饭给她吃，菜饭却被饿鬼夺走。目莲向佛主求救，佛主被目莲的孝心感动，授予盂兰盆经。目莲按照指示，于七月十五日用盂兰盆盛珍果素斋供奉母亲，挨饿的母亲终于得到食物。为了纪念目莲的孝心，佛教徒每年都有盛大的“盂兰盆会”。
道教徒相信，从农历七月初一起，阴间打开鬼门，放出孤魂野鬼到人间来接受奉祭。人间为了免受鬼神的干扰伤害，便在七月十五日设“中元普渡”，供奉食品及焚烧冥纸以安抚那些无主孤魂。