🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 125 (from laksa130)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa125.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/","crawl_time":1775694783,"first_indexed_time":1756047778,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,sfstandard!\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/ s443","src_root_hash":"12296119352634418525","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"When ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance | The San Francisco Standard","meta_descriptions":["The Hungry Ghost Festival was not just a modern take on an ancient spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"San Francisco’s Chinatown transformed into a spectral playground Saturday night, as a 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marched through the streets in a festival that blended music, art, and ritual.\nThe event, Hungry Ghost Festival: Demons of Our Times, was not just a modern take on an ancient Chinese spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.\nHoi Leung, curator at the Chinese Culture Center and the festival’s organizer, explained that Chinese immigrant communities in California have long carried on this eerie tradition. Today, she said, fusing traditional and contemporary arts can serve as a form of resistance to anti-immigrant narratives.\n“The ghosts we once feared now wear new faces,” Leung said. “We bear witness to the rise of sadly time-tested ‘rituals’ of hate — demonizing immigrants, rationalizing terror, and erasing history.”\nWhen asked if she was referring specifically to President Donald Trump as the demon, Leung declined to answer. Naming names, she explained, would narrow the meaning. Instead, she framed the event as being open to interpretation, speaking to political struggles across the world.\nTraditionally held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival marks the time when restless spirits slip out of the underworld. Communities respond with food, fire, and performances to feed the forgotten and guide them home. In pioneer-era California, the tradition helped Chinese immigrants mourn deaths and honor those who never made it across the Pacific.\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nChinatown’s version of the Hungry Ghost Festival launched\nin 2023\nas part of a strategy to revitalize the neighborhood after the Covid pandemic. Leung said the festival is the only one of its kind in the nation, and it has grown larger each year. Thousands of people attended, Leung estimated.\nThe festivities kicked off with a towering effigy crafted in Hong Kong by a traditional paper master, looming over dancers and drummers as it swayed through Chinatown streets in a procession led by the Lotus Tao Culture Association. Another creature, a demon, emerged from a black box surrounded by incense smoke, bowing and dancing before the crowd.\nSan Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney pose in front of the Hungry Ghost.\n|\nSource:\nEmily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nAlong Grant Avenue, art installations lit up blocks, while music and performances continued till late at night. On the main stage, the evening stretched from Cantonese opera to Indigenous folk-punk, taiko drumming, and drag performances.\nMohamad Almghrbel from Sacramento got stuck trying to cross Grant as the procession was walking by and ended up with the best view of anyone — with the exception of the local elderly woman standing on her roof overlooking the action.\nMohamad Almghrbel takes in the spectacle.\n|\nSource:\nEmily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nFestivalgoers dipped in and out of shops, and restaurant and shop workers stood outside their storefronts watching the action. One man jumped with fear as a firecracker went off.\nAn elderly Chinese woman explained to the crowd the significance of the chopstick stuck to the middle finger of a huge papier-mâché hand that pointed up to the sky.\n“If there is something wrong in your life,” she said, “pinch the finger with a chopsticks, and it takes it away.”\nSource:\nEmily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nAt\n(opens in new tab)\nthe main stage at Portsmouth Square, performances reflected progressive values, including Bay Area singer Ash Bricky delivering the “Indigenous Trans Folk Punk” to an audience of about 100.\nQueer Taiko, a group of LGBTQ+ artists of Japanese drumming, took the stage next. Lead performer Kristi Oshiro said taiko drums have been used to drive away evil spirits and summon good fortune.\n“So if that’s true,” Oshiro told the cheering crowd, “you’re welcome. Yeah!”\nSource:\nMinh Connor for The Standard\nSource:\nMinh Connors for The Standard\nMore about the authors","attrs_markdown":"ADVERTISEMENT\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/#main)\n\nOpen search bar and full menu\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/subscribe\/)\n\nSign in\n\n- [Latest](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/latest\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/news\/)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/politics\/)\n- [Business](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/business\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/opinion\/)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/culture\/)\n- [Food & Drink](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/food-drink\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/sports\/)\n- [Games](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/games\/)\n- [Podcasts](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/podcasts\/)\n\nClose menu\n\nSign in\n\n- [Latest](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/latest\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/news\/)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/politics\/)\n- [Business](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/business\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/opinion\/)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/culture\/)\n- [Food & Drink](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/food-drink\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/sports\/)\n- [Games](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/games\/)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/newsletters\/)\n- [Podcasts](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/podcasts\/)\n\n## Social Links\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sfstandard\/)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/twitter.com\/sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SFStandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/sfstandard.com)\n\n[Culture](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/culture\/)\n\n# When ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance\nThe Hungry Ghost Festival was not just a modern take on an ancient spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.\n\n![A crowded street decorated with red Chinese lanterns features a colorful, large traditional figure during a festive celebration.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_2gecb1r6ih18ddedhr7t23316b\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nA 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marches through Chinatown on Saturday night. \\| Source: Minh Connor for The Standard\n\nBy [Han Li](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/author\/han-li\/) and [Emily Dreyfuss](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/author\/emily-dreyfuss\/)\n\nPhotography by Minh Connors\n\nPublished\n\nAug. 24, 2025•8:00am\n\nShare\n\n## Share\n- Copy linkto this article\n- [Email](<mailto:?subject=When ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance&body=From The San Francisco Standard%0A%0AWhen ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance%0A%0AThe Hungry Ghost Festival was not just a modern take on an ancient spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.%0A%0Ahttps:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=email_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons>)\n- [Twitter (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance&via=sfstandard&url=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=twitter_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n- [Bluesky (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/bsky.app\/intent\/compose?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance%20https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=bluesky_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n- [Facebook (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=facebook_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n- [LinkedIn (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/cws\/share?url=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=linkedin_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons&title=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance)\n- [Telegram (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=telegram_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons&text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance)\n- [WhatsApp (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance%20https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=whatsapp_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n- [Reddit (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=reddit_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons&title=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance)\n\nClose share menu\n\nSan Francisco’s Chinatown transformed into a spectral playground Saturday night, as a 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marched through the streets in a festival that blended music, art, and ritual.\n\nThe event, Hungry Ghost Festival: Demons of Our Times, was not just a modern take on an ancient Chinese spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.\n\nHoi Leung, curator at the Chinese Culture Center and the festival’s organizer, explained that Chinese immigrant communities in California have long carried on this eerie tradition. Today, she said, fusing traditional and contemporary arts can serve as a form of resistance to anti-immigrant narratives.\n\nADVERTISEMENT\n\nRelated\n\n[Peking duck pizza? Chinatown’s new slice shop will make you a believer](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/03\/06\/outta-sight-chinatown-best-pizza-sf\/)\n\n[Thanks, tariffs: Chinatown’s long-awaited makeover is delayed — again](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/06\/17\/sf-chinatown-portsmouth-square-delay\/)\n\n[Stocking up and holding on: Chinatown’s race against rising tariffs](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/04\/11\/tariff-china-us-san-francisco-chinatown\/)\n\n“The ghosts we once feared now wear new faces,” Leung said. “We bear witness to the rise of sadly time-tested ‘rituals’ of hate — demonizing immigrants, rationalizing terror, and erasing history.”\n\nWhen asked if she was referring specifically to President Donald Trump as the demon, Leung declined to answer. Naming names, she explained, would narrow the meaning. Instead, she framed the event as being open to interpretation, speaking to political struggles across the world.\n\nTraditionally held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival marks the time when restless spirits slip out of the underworld. Communities respond with food, fire, and performances to feed the forgotten and guide them home. In pioneer-era California, the tradition helped Chinese immigrants mourn deaths and honor those who never made it across the Pacific.\n\n![Dancers in blue and white dresses wave large red and yellow silk fans during a street parade with red lanterns hanging overhead and spectators watching.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_sqi03lh2np5p73p051ov5mie49\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n![A man in a colorful traditional robe and hat holds a small cup, surrounded by people wearing festive clothes and large lanterns in a busy street parade.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_8rnoeeurph06597j5faccp3t30\/-S3840x2606-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n![A person wearing a gold crown, gold jacket, and feathered wings plays a flute while riding an inflatable tiger costume on a busy street.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_o45o2sr51156ddkhripecajh1k\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nChinatown’s version of the Hungry Ghost Festival launched [in 2023](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2023\/08\/09\/chinatown-ghost-month-festival-san-francisco\/) as part of a strategy to revitalize the neighborhood after the Covid pandemic. Leung said the festival is the only one of its kind in the nation, and it has grown larger each year. Thousands of people attended, Leung estimated.\n\nThe festivities kicked off with a towering effigy crafted in Hong Kong by a traditional paper master, looming over dancers and drummers as it swayed through Chinatown streets in a procession led by the Lotus Tao Culture Association. Another creature, a demon, emerged from a black box surrounded by incense smoke, bowing and dancing before the crowd.\n\n![A colorful dragon figure towers behind three smiling men posing on a bustling street decorated with red lanterns and vibrant signs.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_tnlsnmpdkh3rb1kf6fds5ld23r\/-S3840x6821-FPNG)\n\nSan Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney pose in front of the Hungry Ghost.  \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\n\n![A diverse crowd stands closely together on a street, many holding phones and cameras, with a woman in a red embroidered outfit prominently capturing a moment.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_48aa6ahcrt5sbbe3atq741d304\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n![A vibrant Chinese parade features a large, ornate figure in bright orange and pink, surrounded by people in traditional costumes and lanterns hanging above.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_1bug2jfn294qd9auhd0op5ta30\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nAlong Grant Avenue, art installations lit up blocks, while music and performances continued till late at night. On the main stage, the evening stretched from Cantonese opera to Indigenous folk-punk, taiko drumming, and drag performances.\n\nMohamad Almghrbel from Sacramento got stuck trying to cross Grant as the procession was walking by and ended up with the best view of anyone — with the exception of the local elderly woman standing on her roof overlooking the action.\n\n![A man stands on the roof of a black Ford car, taking a photo with his phone in a busy urban street lined with buildings and parked cars.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_s7v4t5lcv50rl53stemc4ra45t\/-S3840x6821-FPNG)\n\nMohamad Almghrbel takes in the spectacle.  \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\n\n![Three children wearing medals stand smiling, with a crowd of people behind them in an outdoor setting.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_d7lf2nuil90p98ec57r2ng063o\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nFestivalgoers dipped in and out of shops, and restaurant and shop workers stood outside their storefronts watching the action. One man jumped with fear as a firecracker went off.\n\nAn elderly Chinese woman explained to the crowd the significance of the chopstick stuck to the middle finger of a huge papier-mâché hand that pointed up to the sky.\n\n“If there is something wrong in your life,” she said, “pinch the finger with a chopsticks, and it takes it away.”\n\n![An older person wearing a mask, glasses, a white shirt, and a blue apron stands on tiled steps by a marble pillar in front of a gated staircase.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_hcdpqr0le5079fbtc6j4q64c3b\/-S3840x6821-FPNG)\n\nSource: Emily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\n\n![Three children and two adults are holding hands and dancing in a circle outdoors, with a seated crowd and tall buildings in the background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_ptorh1apbp79v5gq0ah5d8us44\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n[At (opens in new tab)](http:\/\/bridge.at\/) the main stage at Portsmouth Square, performances reflected progressive values, including Bay Area singer Ash Bricky delivering the “Indigenous Trans Folk Punk” to an audience of about 100.\n\nQueer Taiko, a group of LGBTQ+ artists of Japanese drumming, took the stage next. Lead performer Kristi Oshiro said taiko drums have been used to drive away evil spirits and summon good fortune.\n\n“So if that’s true,” Oshiro told the cheering crowd, “you’re welcome. Yeah!”\n\n![A person dressed in a gold crown, gold outfit, and wings hands medals to a woman holding a phone, with multiple people watching in the background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_nq4mg0ush10qb858vh0qbrbg3l\/-S3840x2744-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connor for The Standard\n\n![Older women wearing blue and white dresses dance outdoors, smiling and holding large yellow and red gradient fans during a cultural celebration.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_7vevvagsg50b9frsrgmc3tjg5c\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n- Copy link to this article\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance&via=sfstandard&url=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=twitter_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/bsky.app\/intent\/compose?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance%20https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=bluesky_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2025\/08\/24\/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time\/?utm_source=facebook_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons)\n\nMore about the authors\n\n- ![A young man with short black hair smiles, wearing a black blazer over a dark button-up shirt, against a plain background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_pb5bleqq2t6ufekpshejhjmp71\/-C100.00%25x66.67%25%2C0.00%25%2C3.63%25-S3840x3840-FPNG)\n  \n  [Han Li](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/author\/han-li\/)\n  \n  Politics Reporter·\n  \n  Contact\n  \n  # Contact Han\n  Close\n  \n  - [han@sfstandard.com](mailto:han@sfstandard.com)\n  - [@lihanlihan (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/twitter.com\/lihanlihan)\n  - [Send a tip](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/tips\/)\n- ![A woman with wavy, light brown hair wears tortoiseshell glasses, bright pink lipstick, a black blazer, and a black and white patterned high-neck top.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_63776107hh1iv62j8vlkie7j07\/-C100.00%25x66.71%25%2C0.00%25%2C2.35%25-S3840x3840-FPNG)\n  \n  [Emily Dreyfuss](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/author\/emily-dreyfuss\/)\n  \n  Culture Editor·\n  \n  Contact\n  \n  # Contact Emily\n  Close\n  \n  - [edreyfuss@sfstandard.com](mailto:edreyfuss@sfstandard.com)\n  - [Send a tip](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/tips\/)\n\nFiled under\n\n[Chinatown](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/tag\/chinatown\/)[Culture](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/culture\/)[Scott Wiener](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/tag\/scott-wiener\/)\n\n## More[Culture](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/culture\/)\n- [![An elevated view of a city street at sunset, showing the sun's rays between buildings with silhouettes of people in the foreground.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_4o5ei7e10179j52gh019eim15d\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/08\/18-best-events-sf-week-restaurant-week-cherry-blossom-fest\/)\n  [The 18 best events in SF this week, from Restaurant Week to the Cherry Blossom Fest](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/08\/18-best-events-sf-week-restaurant-week-cherry-blossom-fest\/)\n- [![Two men hold a wooden cross adorned with Cheez-It boxes, one wearing a cheese cracker crown and beads, the other in a white outfit with sunglasses.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_vhsk6li8ah1l710db4r2hdld5u\/-S3840x2880-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/05\/sisters-perpetual-indulgence-hunky-jesus-easter-dolores-park-2026\/)\n  [Renewable Jesus beat Cheez-it Jesus on Easter Sunday. San Francisco loved it](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/05\/sisters-perpetual-indulgence-hunky-jesus-easter-dolores-park-2026\/)\n- [![A gray cat with its tongue out sits on carpet near a white wall, while a blurry brown cat with yellow eyes is close to the camera in the foreground.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_23rkor8ng95mh3glu531o7g52p\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/04\/move-rover-office-cats-becoming-thing\/)\n  [Move over, Rover: Office cats are becoming a thing](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/04\/move-rover-office-cats-becoming-thing\/)\n  \n  [1 comments](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/04\/move-rover-office-cats-becoming-thing\/#comments)\n- [![A person stands in a tunnel made of dense red threads with scattered sheets of paper suspended throughout.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_gb3cshr2pd5lbabmcsjjjvh87s\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/02\/your-guide-best-arts-events-san-francisco-spring\/)\n  [Your guide to the best arts events in San Francisco this spring](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/02\/your-guide-best-arts-events-san-francisco-spring\/)\n\n![A young man with short black hair smiles, wearing a black blazer over a dark button-up shirt, against a plain background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_pb5bleqq2t6ufekpshejhjmp71\/-C100.00%25x66.67%25%2C0.00%25%2C3.63%25-S3840x3840-FPNG)\n\n## By[Han Li](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/author\/han-li\/)\n\n- [City to bail out ailing San Francisco Zoo with up to \\$8.5 million loan](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/sf-zoo-funding-loan-melgar\/)\n  [A budget analyst’s report concluded the costs of closing the zoo would be tens of millions of dollars. So a supervisor came up with a new plan.](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/sf-zoo-funding-loan-melgar\/)\n- Power Play\n  [Surprise, Lurie’s charter reform campaign is raking it in](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/lurie-charter-reform-money-power-play\/)\n  [Also in today’s Power Play: GrowSF’s endorsements, politicians’ boba orders, and new ways to trace City Hall money.](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/lurie-charter-reform-money-power-play\/)\n- [The SF civil rights group at the center of the Supreme Court birthright citizenship fight](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/04\/asian-law-caucus-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship\/)\n  [Members of the Asian Law Caucus take part in a case with deep historical roots.](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/04\/asian-law-caucus-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship\/)\n\n## Most readtoday\n- [![A man in a black \"Santa Cruz Basketball\" shirt spins a basketball on his finger in a gym with blurred people and a \"Warriors\" sign in the background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_k6140quah95k58fplbf7gfqe0b\/-C100.00%25x99.99%25%2C0.00%25%2C0.00%25-S3840x2560-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/steve-kerr-warriors-nicholas-kerr-son\/)\n  [Steve Kerr has a big decision ahead. His son has already made his](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/steve-kerr-warriors-nicholas-kerr-son\/)\n  \n  [comments](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/steve-kerr-warriors-nicholas-kerr-son\/#comments)\n- [![A man in a suit and red tie speaks into microphones, with a golden arch and warm lighting in the background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_g7skorev8d01n7ah4mmi7uqi2b\/-S3840x2561-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/city-layoffs-begin-lurie-hands-127-pink-slips\/)\n  [City layoffs begin: Lurie hands out 127 pink slips](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/city-layoffs-begin-lurie-hands-127-pink-slips\/)\n- [![A busy city street with multiple lanes of cars, some stopped at a red light and others moving forward, with buildings and street signs on both sides.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_d4h06i37nd7mvcgek3br71j53a\/-S3840x2561-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/miracle-19th-avenue-caltrans-doing-40-days-repaving-just-10\/)\n  [Miracle on 19th Avenue: How Caltrans is doing 40 days of repaving in just 10](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/miracle-19th-avenue-caltrans-doing-40-days-repaving-just-10\/)\n  \n  [comments](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/06\/miracle-19th-avenue-caltrans-doing-40-days-repaving-just-10\/#comments)\n- [![A billboard above a city highway reads \"AI runs better on US\" with a map of the United States, while several cars drive along the road below.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_eu6kmdl9p50j33gmbvku7hdu2e\/-S3840x2617-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/i-leaderboard-san-francisco-office\/)\n  [Behemoths of the boom: Ranking SF’s biggest AI companies by office size](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/i-leaderboard-san-francisco-office\/)\n- [![A woman holds a sign that says \"ICE OUT OF SCHOOLS\" while others around her smile and stand in front of a large, illuminated building at dusk.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_7uraulct4t6hjbuf4m6i02e71o\/-S3840x2561-FPNG)](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/jackie-fielder-requests-three-month-leave-absence-mental-health-crisis\/)\n  [Jackie Fielder requests three-month leave of absence after mental health crisis](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2026\/04\/07\/jackie-fielder-requests-three-month-leave-absence-mental-health-crisis\/)\n\n## Social Links\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sfstandard\/)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/twitter.com\/sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SFStandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.threads.net\/@sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/sfstandard)\n- [(opens in new tab)](https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/sfstandard.com)\n\n## Footer Navigation\n- - [About Us](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/about\/)\n  - [Staff](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/staff\/)\n  - [Standards & Ethics](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/ethics-standards\/)\n- - [Newsletters](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/newsletters\/)\n  - [RSS Feeds](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/rss-feeds\/)\n  - [Jobs (opens in new tab)](https:\/\/jobs.sfstandard.com\/)\n- - [Contact Us](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/contact-us\/)\n  - [Tips](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/tips\/)\n  - [Advertising Inquiries](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/advertising\/)\n- - [Sign In](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/account\/login\/)\n  - [Paid Subscription](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/subscribe\/)\n  - [Subscription FAQs](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/subscription-faq\/)\n\n© The San Francisco Standard. All Rights Reserved.\n\n## Legal Information\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/terms-of-use\/)\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [California Resident Rights](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/privacy-policy\/#california-resident-rights)\n- Privacy Center\n\n2 free posts left\n\nAlready a subscriber?\n\nSign in now\n\n# Stay ahead of the stories shaping SF\nSign up for The Standard's must-read newsletters","attrs_readable_markdown":"San Francisco’s Chinatown transformed into a spectral playground Saturday night, as a 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marched through the streets in a festival that blended music, art, and ritual.\n\nThe event, Hungry Ghost Festival: Demons of Our Times, was not just a modern take on an ancient Chinese spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.\n\nHoi Leung, curator at the Chinese Culture Center and the festival’s organizer, explained that Chinese immigrant communities in California have long carried on this eerie tradition. Today, she said, fusing traditional and contemporary arts can serve as a form of resistance to anti-immigrant narratives.\n\n“The ghosts we once feared now wear new faces,” Leung said. “We bear witness to the rise of sadly time-tested ‘rituals’ of hate — demonizing immigrants, rationalizing terror, and erasing history.”\n\nWhen asked if she was referring specifically to President Donald Trump as the demon, Leung declined to answer. Naming names, she explained, would narrow the meaning. Instead, she framed the event as being open to interpretation, speaking to political struggles across the world.\n\nTraditionally held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival marks the time when restless spirits slip out of the underworld. Communities respond with food, fire, and performances to feed the forgotten and guide them home. In pioneer-era California, the tradition helped Chinese immigrants mourn deaths and honor those who never made it across the Pacific.\n\n![Dancers in blue and white dresses wave large red and yellow silk fans during a street parade with red lanterns hanging overhead and spectators watching.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_sqi03lh2np5p73p051ov5mie49\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n![A man in a colorful traditional robe and hat holds a small cup, surrounded by people wearing festive clothes and large lanterns in a busy street parade.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_8rnoeeurph06597j5faccp3t30\/-S3840x2606-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n![A person wearing a gold crown, gold jacket, and feathered wings plays a flute while riding an inflatable tiger costume on a busy street.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_o45o2sr51156ddkhripecajh1k\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nChinatown’s version of the Hungry Ghost Festival launched [in 2023](https:\/\/sfstandard.com\/2023\/08\/09\/chinatown-ghost-month-festival-san-francisco\/) as part of a strategy to revitalize the neighborhood after the Covid pandemic. Leung said the festival is the only one of its kind in the nation, and it has grown larger each year. Thousands of people attended, Leung estimated.\n\nThe festivities kicked off with a towering effigy crafted in Hong Kong by a traditional paper master, looming over dancers and drummers as it swayed through Chinatown streets in a procession led by the Lotus Tao Culture Association. Another creature, a demon, emerged from a black box surrounded by incense smoke, bowing and dancing before the crowd.\n\n![A colorful dragon figure towers behind three smiling men posing on a bustling street decorated with red lanterns and vibrant signs.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_tnlsnmpdkh3rb1kf6fds5ld23r\/-S3840x6821-FPNG)\n\nSan Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney pose in front of the Hungry Ghost.  \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\n\n![A diverse crowd stands closely together on a street, many holding phones and cameras, with a woman in a red embroidered outfit prominently capturing a moment.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_48aa6ahcrt5sbbe3atq741d304\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n![A vibrant Chinese parade features a large, ornate figure in bright orange and pink, surrounded by people in traditional costumes and lanterns hanging above.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_1bug2jfn294qd9auhd0op5ta30\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nAlong Grant Avenue, art installations lit up blocks, while music and performances continued till late at night. On the main stage, the evening stretched from Cantonese opera to Indigenous folk-punk, taiko drumming, and drag performances.\n\nMohamad Almghrbel from Sacramento got stuck trying to cross Grant as the procession was walking by and ended up with the best view of anyone — with the exception of the local elderly woman standing on her roof overlooking the action.\n\n![A man stands on the roof of a black Ford car, taking a photo with his phone in a busy urban street lined with buildings and parked cars.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_s7v4t5lcv50rl53stemc4ra45t\/-S3840x6821-FPNG)\n\nMohamad Almghrbel takes in the spectacle.  \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\n\n![Three children wearing medals stand smiling, with a crowd of people behind them in an outdoor setting.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_d7lf2nuil90p98ec57r2ng063o\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nFestivalgoers dipped in and out of shops, and restaurant and shop workers stood outside their storefronts watching the action. One man jumped with fear as a firecracker went off.\n\nAn elderly Chinese woman explained to the crowd the significance of the chopstick stuck to the middle finger of a huge papier-mâché hand that pointed up to the sky.\n\n“If there is something wrong in your life,” she said, “pinch the finger with a chopsticks, and it takes it away.”\n\n![An older person wearing a mask, glasses, a white shirt, and a blue apron stands on tiled steps by a marble pillar in front of a gated staircase.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_hcdpqr0le5079fbtc6j4q64c3b\/-S3840x6821-FPNG)\n\nSource: Emily Dreyfuss\/The Standard\n\n![Three children and two adults are holding hands and dancing in a circle outdoors, with a seated crowd and tall buildings in the background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_ptorh1apbp79v5gq0ah5d8us44\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\n[At (opens in new tab)](http:\/\/bridge.at\/) the main stage at Portsmouth Square, performances reflected progressive values, including Bay Area singer Ash Bricky delivering the “Indigenous Trans Folk Punk” to an audience of about 100.\n\nQueer Taiko, a group of LGBTQ+ artists of Japanese drumming, took the stage next. Lead performer Kristi Oshiro said taiko drums have been used to drive away evil spirits and summon good fortune.\n\n“So if that’s true,” Oshiro told the cheering crowd, “you’re welcome. Yeah!”\n\n![A person dressed in a gold crown, gold outfit, and wings hands medals to a woman holding a phone, with multiple people watching in the background.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_nq4mg0ush10qb858vh0qbrbg3l\/-S3840x2744-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connor for The Standard\n\n![Older women wearing blue and white dresses dance outdoors, smiling and holding large yellow and red gradient fans during a cultural celebration.](https:\/\/assets.sfstandard.com\/image\/994911177489\/image_7vevvagsg50b9frsrgmc3tjg5c\/-S3840x2560-FPNG)\n\nSource: Minh Connors for The Standard\n\nMore about the authors","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	When ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance \| The San Francisco Standard
Meta Description	The Hungry Ghost Festival was not just a modern take on an ancient spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.
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Boilerpipe Text	San Francisco’s Chinatown transformed into a spectral playground Saturday night, as a 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marched through the streets in a festival that blended music, art, and ritual. The event, Hungry Ghost Festival: Demons of Our Times, was not just a modern take on an ancient Chinese spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate. Hoi Leung, curator at the Chinese Culture Center and the festival’s organizer, explained that Chinese immigrant communities in California have long carried on this eerie tradition. Today, she said, fusing traditional and contemporary arts can serve as a form of resistance to anti-immigrant narratives. “The ghosts we once feared now wear new faces,” Leung said. “We bear witness to the rise of sadly time-tested ‘rituals’ of hate — demonizing immigrants, rationalizing terror, and erasing history.” When asked if she was referring specifically to President Donald Trump as the demon, Leung declined to answer. Naming names, she explained, would narrow the meaning. Instead, she framed the event as being open to interpretation, speaking to political struggles across the world. Traditionally held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival marks the time when restless spirits slip out of the underworld. Communities respond with food, fire, and performances to feed the forgotten and guide them home. In pioneer-era California, the tradition helped Chinese immigrants mourn deaths and honor those who never made it across the Pacific. Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Chinatown’s version of the Hungry Ghost Festival launched in 2023 as part of a strategy to revitalize the neighborhood after the Covid pandemic. Leung said the festival is the only one of its kind in the nation, and it has grown larger each year. Thousands of people attended, Leung estimated. The festivities kicked off with a towering effigy crafted in Hong Kong by a traditional paper master, looming over dancers and drummers as it swayed through Chinatown streets in a procession led by the Lotus Tao Culture Association. Another creature, a demon, emerged from a black box surrounded by incense smoke, bowing and dancing before the crowd. San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney pose in front of the Hungry Ghost. \| Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Along Grant Avenue, art installations lit up blocks, while music and performances continued till late at night. On the main stage, the evening stretched from Cantonese opera to Indigenous folk-punk, taiko drumming, and drag performances. Mohamad Almghrbel from Sacramento got stuck trying to cross Grant as the procession was walking by and ended up with the best view of anyone — with the exception of the local elderly woman standing on her roof overlooking the action. Mohamad Almghrbel takes in the spectacle. \| Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Festivalgoers dipped in and out of shops, and restaurant and shop workers stood outside their storefronts watching the action. One man jumped with fear as a firecracker went off. An elderly Chinese woman explained to the crowd the significance of the chopstick stuck to the middle finger of a huge papier-mâché hand that pointed up to the sky. “If there is something wrong in your life,” she said, “pinch the finger with a chopsticks, and it takes it away.” Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard At (opens in new tab) the main stage at Portsmouth Square, performances reflected progressive values, including Bay Area singer Ash Bricky delivering the “Indigenous Trans Folk Punk” to an audience of about 100. Queer Taiko, a group of LGBTQ+ artists of Japanese drumming, took the stage next. Lead performer Kristi Oshiro said taiko drums have been used to drive away evil spirits and summon good fortune. “So if that’s true,” Oshiro told the cheering crowd, “you’re welcome. Yeah!” Source: Minh Connor for The Standard Source: Minh Connors for The Standard More about the authors
Markdown	ADVERTISEMENT [Skip to main content](https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/#main) Open search bar and full menu [Subscribe](https://sfstandard.com/subscribe/) Sign in - [Latest](https://sfstandard.com/latest/) - [News](https://sfstandard.com/news/) - [Politics](https://sfstandard.com/politics/) - [Business](https://sfstandard.com/business/) - [Opinion](https://sfstandard.com/opinion/) - [Culture](https://sfstandard.com/culture/) - [Food & Drink](https://sfstandard.com/food-drink/) - [Sports](https://sfstandard.com/sports/) - [Games](https://sfstandard.com/games/) - [Podcasts](https://sfstandard.com/podcasts/) Close menu Sign in - [Latest](https://sfstandard.com/latest/) - [News](https://sfstandard.com/news/) - [Politics](https://sfstandard.com/politics/) - [Business](https://sfstandard.com/business/) - [Opinion](https://sfstandard.com/opinion/) - [Culture](https://sfstandard.com/culture/) - [Food & Drink](https://sfstandard.com/food-drink/) - [Sports](https://sfstandard.com/sports/) - [Games](https://sfstandard.com/games/) - [Newsletters](https://sfstandard.com/newsletters/) - [Podcasts](https://sfstandard.com/podcasts/) ## Social Links - [(opens in new tab)](https://www.instagram.com/sfstandard/) - [(opens in new tab)](https://twitter.com/sfstandard) - [(opens in new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/SFStandard) - [(opens in new tab)](https://www.tiktok.com/@sfstandard) - [(opens in new tab)](https://www.threads.net/@sfstandard) - [(opens in new tab)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sfstandard) - [(opens in new tab)](https://bsky.app/profile/sfstandard.com) [Culture](https://sfstandard.com/culture/) # When ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance The Hungry Ghost Festival was not just a modern take on an ancient spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate. ![A crowded street decorated with red Chinese lanterns features a colorful, large traditional figure during a festive celebration.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_2gecb1r6ih18ddedhr7t23316b/-S3840x2560-FPNG) A 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marches through Chinatown on Saturday night. \\| Source: Minh Connor for The Standard By [Han Li](https://sfstandard.com/author/han-li/) and [Emily Dreyfuss](https://sfstandard.com/author/emily-dreyfuss/) Photography by Minh Connors Published Aug. 24, 2025•8:00am Share ## Share - Copy linkto this article - [Email](<mailto:?subject=When ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance&body=From The San Francisco Standard%0A%0AWhen ghosts turn political: Chinatown festival revives tradition of resistance%0A%0AThe Hungry Ghost Festival was not just a modern take on an ancient spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate.%0A%0Ahttps://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=email_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons>) - [Twitter (opens in new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance&via=sfstandard&url=https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=twitter_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons) - [Bluesky (opens in new tab)](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance%20https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=bluesky_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons) - 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[Reddit (opens in new tab)](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=reddit_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons&title=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance) Close share menu San Francisco’s Chinatown transformed into a spectral playground Saturday night, as a 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marched through the streets in a festival that blended music, art, and ritual. The event, Hungry Ghost Festival: Demons of Our Times, was not just a modern take on an ancient Chinese spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate. Hoi Leung, curator at the Chinese Culture Center and the festival’s organizer, explained that Chinese immigrant communities in California have long carried on this eerie tradition. Today, she said, fusing traditional and contemporary arts can serve as a form of resistance to anti-immigrant narratives. ADVERTISEMENT Related [Peking duck pizza? Chinatown’s new slice shop will make you a believer](https://sfstandard.com/2025/03/06/outta-sight-chinatown-best-pizza-sf/) [Thanks, tariffs: Chinatown’s long-awaited makeover is delayed — again](https://sfstandard.com/2025/06/17/sf-chinatown-portsmouth-square-delay/) [Stocking up and holding on: Chinatown’s race against rising tariffs](https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/11/tariff-china-us-san-francisco-chinatown/) “The ghosts we once feared now wear new faces,” Leung said. “We bear witness to the rise of sadly time-tested ‘rituals’ of hate — demonizing immigrants, rationalizing terror, and erasing history.” When asked if she was referring specifically to President Donald Trump as the demon, Leung declined to answer. Naming names, she explained, would narrow the meaning. Instead, she framed the event as being open to interpretation, speaking to political struggles across the world. Traditionally held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival marks the time when restless spirits slip out of the underworld. Communities respond with food, fire, and performances to feed the forgotten and guide them home. In pioneer-era California, the tradition helped Chinese immigrants mourn deaths and honor those who never made it across the Pacific. ![Dancers in blue and white dresses wave large red and yellow silk fans during a street parade with red lanterns hanging overhead and spectators watching.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_sqi03lh2np5p73p051ov5mie49/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard ![A man in a colorful traditional robe and hat holds a small cup, surrounded by people wearing festive clothes and large lanterns in a busy street parade.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_8rnoeeurph06597j5faccp3t30/-S3840x2606-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard ![A person wearing a gold crown, gold jacket, and feathered wings plays a flute while riding an inflatable tiger costume on a busy street.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_o45o2sr51156ddkhripecajh1k/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Chinatown’s version of the Hungry Ghost Festival launched [in 2023](https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/09/chinatown-ghost-month-festival-san-francisco/) as part of a strategy to revitalize the neighborhood after the Covid pandemic. Leung said the festival is the only one of its kind in the nation, and it has grown larger each year. Thousands of people attended, Leung estimated. The festivities kicked off with a towering effigy crafted in Hong Kong by a traditional paper master, looming over dancers and drummers as it swayed through Chinatown streets in a procession led by the Lotus Tao Culture Association. Another creature, a demon, emerged from a black box surrounded by incense smoke, bowing and dancing before the crowd. ![A colorful dragon figure towers behind three smiling men posing on a bustling street decorated with red lanterns and vibrant signs.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_tnlsnmpdkh3rb1kf6fds5ld23r/-S3840x6821-FPNG) San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney pose in front of the Hungry Ghost. \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard ![A diverse crowd stands closely together on a street, many holding phones and cameras, with a woman in a red embroidered outfit prominently capturing a moment.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_48aa6ahcrt5sbbe3atq741d304/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard ![A vibrant Chinese parade features a large, ornate figure in bright orange and pink, surrounded by people in traditional costumes and lanterns hanging above.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_1bug2jfn294qd9auhd0op5ta30/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Along Grant Avenue, art installations lit up blocks, while music and performances continued till late at night. On the main stage, the evening stretched from Cantonese opera to Indigenous folk-punk, taiko drumming, and drag performances. Mohamad Almghrbel from Sacramento got stuck trying to cross Grant as the procession was walking by and ended up with the best view of anyone — with the exception of the local elderly woman standing on her roof overlooking the action. ![A man stands on the roof of a black Ford car, taking a photo with his phone in a busy urban street lined with buildings and parked cars.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_s7v4t5lcv50rl53stemc4ra45t/-S3840x6821-FPNG) Mohamad Almghrbel takes in the spectacle. \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard ![Three children wearing medals stand smiling, with a crowd of people behind them in an outdoor setting.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_d7lf2nuil90p98ec57r2ng063o/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Festivalgoers dipped in and out of shops, and restaurant and shop workers stood outside their storefronts watching the action. One man jumped with fear as a firecracker went off. An elderly Chinese woman explained to the crowd the significance of the chopstick stuck to the middle finger of a huge papier-mâché hand that pointed up to the sky. “If there is something wrong in your life,” she said, “pinch the finger with a chopsticks, and it takes it away.” ![An older person wearing a mask, glasses, a white shirt, and a blue apron stands on tiled steps by a marble pillar in front of a gated staircase.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_hcdpqr0le5079fbtc6j4q64c3b/-S3840x6821-FPNG) Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard ![Three children and two adults are holding hands and dancing in a circle outdoors, with a seated crowd and tall buildings in the background.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_ptorh1apbp79v5gq0ah5d8us44/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard [At (opens in new tab)](http://bridge.at/) the main stage at Portsmouth Square, performances reflected progressive values, including Bay Area singer Ash Bricky delivering the “Indigenous Trans Folk Punk” to an audience of about 100. Queer Taiko, a group of LGBTQ+ artists of Japanese drumming, took the stage next. Lead performer Kristi Oshiro said taiko drums have been used to drive away evil spirits and summon good fortune. “So if that’s true,” Oshiro told the cheering crowd, “you’re welcome. Yeah!” ![A person dressed in a gold crown, gold outfit, and wings hands medals to a woman holding a phone, with multiple people watching in the background.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_nq4mg0ush10qb858vh0qbrbg3l/-S3840x2744-FPNG) Source: Minh Connor for The Standard ![Older women wearing blue and white dresses dance outdoors, smiling and holding large yellow and red gradient fans during a cultural celebration.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_7vevvagsg50b9frsrgmc3tjg5c/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard - Copy link to this article - [(opens in new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance&via=sfstandard&url=https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=twitter_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons) - [(opens in new tab)](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=When%20ghosts%20turn%20political:%20Chinatown%20festival%20revives%20tradition%20of%20resistance%20https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=bluesky_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons) - [(opens in new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/24/hungry-ghost-festival-demons-our-time/?utm_source=facebook_sitebutton&utm_medium=site_buttons&utm_campaign=site_buttons) More about the authors - ![A young man with short black hair smiles, wearing a black blazer over a dark button-up shirt, against a plain background.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_pb5bleqq2t6ufekpshejhjmp71/-C100.00%25x66.67%25%2C0.00%25%2C3.63%25-S3840x3840-FPNG) [Han Li](https://sfstandard.com/author/han-li/) Politics Reporter· Contact # Contact Han Close - [han@sfstandard.com](mailto:han@sfstandard.com) - [@lihanlihan (opens in new tab)](https://twitter.com/lihanlihan) - [Send a tip](https://sfstandard.com/tips/) - ![A woman with wavy, light brown hair wears tortoiseshell glasses, bright pink lipstick, a black blazer, and a black and white patterned high-neck top.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_63776107hh1iv62j8vlkie7j07/-C100.00%25x66.71%25%2C0.00%25%2C2.35%25-S3840x3840-FPNG) [Emily Dreyfuss](https://sfstandard.com/author/emily-dreyfuss/) Culture Editor· Contact # Contact Emily Close - [edreyfuss@sfstandard.com](mailto:edreyfuss@sfstandard.com) - [Send a tip](https://sfstandard.com/tips/) Filed under [Chinatown](https://sfstandard.com/tag/chinatown/)[Culture](https://sfstandard.com/culture/)[Scott Wiener](https://sfstandard.com/tag/scott-wiener/) ## More[Culture](https://sfstandard.com/culture/) - [![An elevated view of a city street at sunset, showing the sun's rays between buildings with silhouettes of people in the foreground.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_4o5ei7e10179j52gh019eim15d/-S3840x2560-FPNG)](https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/08/18-best-events-sf-week-restaurant-week-cherry-blossom-fest/) [The 18 best events in SF this week, from Restaurant Week to the Cherry Blossom Fest](https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/08/18-best-events-sf-week-restaurant-week-cherry-blossom-fest/) - [![Two men hold a wooden cross adorned with Cheez-It boxes, one wearing a cheese cracker crown and beads, the other in a white outfit with sunglasses.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_vhsk6li8ah1l710db4r2hdld5u/-S3840x2880-FPNG)](https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/05/sisters-perpetual-indulgence-hunky-jesus-easter-dolores-park-2026/) [Renewable Jesus beat Cheez-it Jesus on Easter Sunday. 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Readable Markdown	San Francisco’s Chinatown transformed into a spectral playground Saturday night, as a 14-foot-tall paper Ghost King marched through the streets in a festival that blended music, art, and ritual. The event, Hungry Ghost Festival: Demons of Our Times, was not just a modern take on an ancient Chinese spiritual ceremony but a sharp critique of today’s political climate. Hoi Leung, curator at the Chinese Culture Center and the festival’s organizer, explained that Chinese immigrant communities in California have long carried on this eerie tradition. Today, she said, fusing traditional and contemporary arts can serve as a form of resistance to anti-immigrant narratives. “The ghosts we once feared now wear new faces,” Leung said. “We bear witness to the rise of sadly time-tested ‘rituals’ of hate — demonizing immigrants, rationalizing terror, and erasing history.” When asked if she was referring specifically to President Donald Trump as the demon, Leung declined to answer. Naming names, she explained, would narrow the meaning. Instead, she framed the event as being open to interpretation, speaking to political struggles across the world. Traditionally held on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the Ghost Festival marks the time when restless spirits slip out of the underworld. Communities respond with food, fire, and performances to feed the forgotten and guide them home. In pioneer-era California, the tradition helped Chinese immigrants mourn deaths and honor those who never made it across the Pacific. ![Dancers in blue and white dresses wave large red and yellow silk fans during a street parade with red lanterns hanging overhead and spectators watching.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_sqi03lh2np5p73p051ov5mie49/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard ![A man in a colorful traditional robe and hat holds a small cup, surrounded by people wearing festive clothes and large lanterns in a busy street parade.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_8rnoeeurph06597j5faccp3t30/-S3840x2606-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard ![A person wearing a gold crown, gold jacket, and feathered wings plays a flute while riding an inflatable tiger costume on a busy street.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_o45o2sr51156ddkhripecajh1k/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Chinatown’s version of the Hungry Ghost Festival launched [in 2023](https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/09/chinatown-ghost-month-festival-san-francisco/) as part of a strategy to revitalize the neighborhood after the Covid pandemic. Leung said the festival is the only one of its kind in the nation, and it has grown larger each year. Thousands of people attended, Leung estimated. The festivities kicked off with a towering effigy crafted in Hong Kong by a traditional paper master, looming over dancers and drummers as it swayed through Chinatown streets in a procession led by the Lotus Tao Culture Association. Another creature, a demon, emerged from a black box surrounded by incense smoke, bowing and dancing before the crowd. ![A colorful dragon figure towers behind three smiling men posing on a bustling street decorated with red lanterns and vibrant signs.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_tnlsnmpdkh3rb1kf6fds5ld23r/-S3840x6821-FPNG) San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and Assemblymember Matt Haney pose in front of the Hungry Ghost. \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard ![A diverse crowd stands closely together on a street, many holding phones and cameras, with a woman in a red embroidered outfit prominently capturing a moment.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_48aa6ahcrt5sbbe3atq741d304/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard ![A vibrant Chinese parade features a large, ornate figure in bright orange and pink, surrounded by people in traditional costumes and lanterns hanging above.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_1bug2jfn294qd9auhd0op5ta30/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Along Grant Avenue, art installations lit up blocks, while music and performances continued till late at night. On the main stage, the evening stretched from Cantonese opera to Indigenous folk-punk, taiko drumming, and drag performances. Mohamad Almghrbel from Sacramento got stuck trying to cross Grant as the procession was walking by and ended up with the best view of anyone — with the exception of the local elderly woman standing on her roof overlooking the action. ![A man stands on the roof of a black Ford car, taking a photo with his phone in a busy urban street lined with buildings and parked cars.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_s7v4t5lcv50rl53stemc4ra45t/-S3840x6821-FPNG) Mohamad Almghrbel takes in the spectacle. \\| Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard ![Three children wearing medals stand smiling, with a crowd of people behind them in an outdoor setting.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_d7lf2nuil90p98ec57r2ng063o/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard Festivalgoers dipped in and out of shops, and restaurant and shop workers stood outside their storefronts watching the action. One man jumped with fear as a firecracker went off. An elderly Chinese woman explained to the crowd the significance of the chopstick stuck to the middle finger of a huge papier-mâché hand that pointed up to the sky. “If there is something wrong in your life,” she said, “pinch the finger with a chopsticks, and it takes it away.” ![An older person wearing a mask, glasses, a white shirt, and a blue apron stands on tiled steps by a marble pillar in front of a gated staircase.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_hcdpqr0le5079fbtc6j4q64c3b/-S3840x6821-FPNG) Source: Emily Dreyfuss/The Standard ![Three children and two adults are holding hands and dancing in a circle outdoors, with a seated crowd and tall buildings in the background.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_ptorh1apbp79v5gq0ah5d8us44/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard [At (opens in new tab)](http://bridge.at/) the main stage at Portsmouth Square, performances reflected progressive values, including Bay Area singer Ash Bricky delivering the “Indigenous Trans Folk Punk” to an audience of about 100. Queer Taiko, a group of LGBTQ+ artists of Japanese drumming, took the stage next. Lead performer Kristi Oshiro said taiko drums have been used to drive away evil spirits and summon good fortune. “So if that’s true,” Oshiro told the cheering crowd, “you’re welcome. Yeah!” ![A person dressed in a gold crown, gold outfit, and wings hands medals to a woman holding a phone, with multiple people watching in the background.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_nq4mg0ush10qb858vh0qbrbg3l/-S3840x2744-FPNG) Source: Minh Connor for The Standard ![Older women wearing blue and white dresses dance outdoors, smiling and holding large yellow and red gradient fans during a cultural celebration.](https://assets.sfstandard.com/image/994911177489/image_7vevvagsg50b9frsrgmc3tjg5c/-S3840x2560-FPNG) Source: Minh Connors for The Standard More about the authors
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