ABSTRACT
Of all festivals that are introduced to China through the influence of Buddhism, such as the birthday of the Buddha, the fictitious birthday of Kwan Shi-Yin, etc., the most interesting is the Ullambana. Ullambana is a Sanskrit word meaning “hung up by the heels,” and its Chinese transcription is merely a phonetic transliteration, “Yii-lan-pen,” which, however, conveys the meaning of “a utensil containing the offerings.” This ceremonial, it is interesting to note, is unknown to Southern Buddhism, and it has been in vogue in China since the eighth century, five centuries after the translation of the Ullambana Sutra by the Tantra School.
