According to Chinese folklore, there are certain times when one must be especially careful of the supernatural, and this year today, August 4th, marks the beginning of guǐ yuè (鬼月) or “Ghost Month,” which is the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

Starting tonight at 11 PM through until September 2nd, it is believed that the doors of the underworld are open, and apparitions of all kinds are free to roam the world of the living. Those ancestral spirits who have families will visit their loved ones in their homes, while those ghosts who have none will wander the streets, seeking some form of relief, often in the form of food or entertainment.

Aside from mainland China and Hong Kong, Ghost Month is observed by a number of Asian countries, including Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, with similar traditions seen in other countries like Thailand and Japan.

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