Avoid swimming during the seventh lunar month because water ghosts may drag you under

Ryan: Eh, Jason, don’t tell me you’re bringing your kids to the beach this weekend.

Jason: Why not? The weather forecast looks great. East Coast Park should be packed.

Ryan: You forgot ah? It’s the seventh lunar month. My grandmother always said never swim during this period. Water ghosts are more active and may drag people underwater.

Jason: (laughs) Water ghosts? Come on, Ryan. You’re a grown man.

Ryan: Laugh all you want. Every year during Hungry Ghost Month, you hear stories about drownings. It can’t be a coincidence.

Jason: Actually, it probably can. People tend to remember accidents that happen during the seventh month and ignore the ones that happen during the rest of the year.

Ryan: Easy for you to say. My uncle told me about a fisherman who saw strange figures on the water during this month. A few days later, someone drowned nearby.

Jason: That’s exactly how legends grow. Someone sees something unusual, then a tragedy happens later, and people connect the two events even when there’s no evidence they’re related.

Ryan: But why would so many older people believe it?

Jason: Because traditions often start as practical safety advice. Think about it. In the past, many people couldn’t swim well. Rivers, reservoirs, and the sea were dangerous. Telling children that ghosts lived in the water was probably a very effective way to keep them away.

Ryan: Hmm. Fear as a safety tool?

Jason: Exactly. Parents everywhere have done similar things. Some cultures have monsters in forests. Others have spirits near wells. The goal is usually to stop children from wandering into dangerous places.

Ryan: Okay, but what about all the drowning cases?

Jason: Drownings happen because of currents, fatigue, poor swimming skills, panic, alcohol, or medical emergencies. Lifeguards investigate those factors. Nobody has ever found evidence of a ghost pulling someone underwater.

Ryan: You sound like a science textbook.

Jason: Thank you. I take that as a compliment.

Ryan: Seriously though, when I was young, I almost drowned during the seventh month. My grandmother said a water spirit tried to take me.

Jason: Or maybe you got caught in a strong current?

Ryan: That’s what the lifeguard said.

Jason: See?

Ryan: But it felt like something was pulling me down.

Jason: That’s a very common description from drowning survivors. When people panic, become exhausted, or get trapped in moving water, it feels like an invisible force is dragging them.

Ryan: You always have an explanation.

Jason: Because natural explanations usually fit the evidence better.

Ryan: Let me ask you this. If you don’t believe in water ghosts, would you go swimming at midnight during Hungry Ghost Month?

Jason: Nice trick question.

Ryan: So? Would you?

Jason: No.

Ryan: Aha! You admit you’re scared.

Jason: Not scared of ghosts. Scared of swimming in the dark. I like avoiding things that can actually kill me.

Ryan: (laughing) Fair point.

Jason: Look, respecting traditions is fine. If someone doesn’t want to swim during the seventh month because of cultural beliefs, that’s their choice. But it’s important to understand that water safety depends on things like weather conditions, currents, swimming ability, and supervision—not ghosts.

Ryan: I suppose checking tide conditions is more useful than carrying anti-ghost charms.

Jason: Definitely. Though if the charm is waterproof, it might look stylish.

Ryan: Maybe I should sell “Ghost-Proof Swimming Goggles.”

Jason: In Singapore? You’ll become a millionaire.

Ryan: Don’t tempt me. Someone will buy them.

Jason: Just make sure the package includes actual swimming lessons.

Ryan: You know, after talking to you, I still respect the tradition, but I can see why there’s no real evidence for water ghosts.

Jason: And I can understand why the stories continue. They remind people to be careful around water.

Ryan: So the real lesson is: respect the sea, not because ghosts live there, but because nature can be dangerous.

Jason: Exactly.

Ryan: Fine. I’ll come to the beach this weekend.

Jason: Great.

Ryan: But if something touches my leg underwater, I’m running.

Jason: That’s called a fish, Ryan.

Ryan: Easy for you to say. The fish might be possessed.

Jason: And that’s why our conversations never get boring.