When we talk about the Ghost Festival in Taiwan, we usually think about offering food to wandering spirits.
說到台灣的農曆七月，我們通常會想到準備食物來祭拜好兄弟。
People prepare meat, fruit, drinks, snacks, and many other familiar foods.
人們會準備肉類、水果、飲料、零食，以及許多我們熟悉的食物。
But one day, I saw something that made me stop and wonder.
但是有一天，我看到一樣東西，讓我忍不住停下來想了一下。
There was a bowl of water spinach soup on the offering table.
普渡桌上竟然放了一碗空心菜湯。
I thought, “Wait, why water spinach?”
我心想：「等等，為什麼是空心菜？」
I eat water spinach all the time, but I had never thought about its connection with the Ghost Festival.
我平常很常吃空心菜，卻從來沒有想過它和普渡之間竟然有關係。
One folk saying describes it as, “We have the heart to treat you, but we do not want you to stay.”
有一個民間說法是：「有心請你，無心留你。」
The stem of water spinach is hollow, so people connected its empty center with the idea of not keeping the spirits here.
因為空心菜的菜莖是中空的，所以人們把這個「空」和不把好兄弟留在陽間的意思連結在一起。
We are happy to prepare food for you, but after you finish your meal, please go back to where you came from.
我們很願意準備食物招待你，但吃飽之後，就請回到你原本來的地方。
It is almost like saying, “Dinner is on us, but please don’t stay overnight.”
這有點像是在說：「晚餐我們請客，但不好意思，不提供住宿。」
There is another interesting detail about how people prepare the water spinach.
另外，空心菜的做法也有一個很有趣的細節。
Some traditional practices use only water to blanch the vegetable, without adding much seasoning.
有些傳統做法會只用清水簡單川燙空心菜，不太加調味料。
The vegetable may also be left slightly undercooked instead of being fully cooked.
而且也可能不把它煮到完全熟透。
This “half-cooked” idea is connected with the saying that the living and the spirits are not familiar with each other.
這種「半生不熟」的狀態，被解讀成生人和好兄弟彼此並不熟悉。
You can eat your meal, and then we can go our separate ways.
你吃你的，我過我的，吃飽之後就各自離開。
It is actually a very Taiwanese way of setting a boundary.
這其實是一種很台灣式的界線感。
There are also a few other folk stories about water spinach.
關於空心菜，還有一些其他的民間說法。
In the past, water spinach was cheap and easy to find, especially when food was not as plentiful as it is today.
以前物資不像現在這麼充足，空心菜便宜又容易取得。
Some people believed that a bowl of water spinach soup could make sure that even the weaker or less fortunate spirits had something warm to eat.
有人認為，準備一碗空心菜湯，可以讓那些比較弱小、沒有搶到其他供品的孤苦好兄弟，也有一口熱湯可以喝。
There are also stories about the hollow stem itself.
另外，也有一些說法和空心菜中空的菜梗有關。
Some folk stories say that its hollow stem could help spirits that had difficulty eating, while others connect its strings with repairing a spirit’s body.
有些民間傳說認為，中空的菜梗可以幫助一些難以進食的好兄弟，而空心菜折斷時牽出的絲，也被聯想到修補身體。
These are folk beliefs, not scientific facts, and different families may have different traditions.
這些都是民間信仰，並不是科學事實，而且不同家庭的習俗也可能不一樣。
What I find interesting is that the offering table has changed with our lives.
我覺得有趣的是，普渡桌也會跟著我們的生活一起改變。
Today, some people may even prepare dog food or cat food for pets that have passed away.
現在，有些人甚至會為已經離開的寵物準備狗飼料或貓飼料。
Some families may prepare a baby bottle with milk for a baby they have lost.
有些家庭也可能會為離開的嬰兒準備一個裝著牛奶的奶瓶。
The things on the table may look completely different from traditional offerings.
桌上的東西可能和傳統供品完全不同。
But the reason is actually very simple.
但原因其實很簡單。
People prepare something that reminds them of someone they miss.
人們準備的，是能讓自己想起某個思念的對象的東西。
Maybe this is why I find the Ghost Festival less frightening when I think about it this way.
也許正因為這樣，當我用這個角度去想農曆七月時，就覺得它好像沒有那麼可怕了。
The ghost you are afraid of may be someone else’s beloved family member.
你所害怕的鬼，可能是別人最愛的家人。
It may be someone’s parent, child, or even a beloved dog or cat.
那可能是某個人的父母、孩子，甚至是一隻深愛的狗狗或貓咪。
To you, it may be a ghost.
對你來說，那可能是一個鬼。
But to someone else, it may be a one-of-a-kind treasure that they think about every day.
但對另一個人來說，那可能是他日思夜想、獨一無二的寶貝。
Maybe that is what these offerings are really about.
也許，這才是這些供品真正想表達的事情。
We cannot bring someone back, but we can still remember them.
我們沒有辦法讓一個人回來，但我們還是可以記得他。
And maybe a simple bowl of water spinach soup is one small way of saying, “I remember you.”
而也許，一碗簡單的空心菜湯，就是一種小小的方式，在說：「我還記得你。」
So maybe the Ghost Festival does not have to be only about fear.
所以，也許農曆七月不一定只能和恐懼連在一起。
Sometimes, it is simply about remembering the ones we love.
有時候，它其實只是關於記得那些我們愛過的人。
練習
It's my treat.（我請客，常用於請吃飯或喝東西）
It's on me.（這餐我請）
I got this. / I've got this.（我來付）
Let me get the bill. / Let me get this.（讓我來付帳）
Let me treat you to lunch.（讓我請你吃午餐）
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