"Putu" or "Passage of Universal Salvation" activities are divided into private ceremonies and temple ceremonies. The Keelung Ghost Day Ceremony is a large-scale temple ceremony, which has become one of the most characteristic folklore activities in Taiwan.

      The Ghost Festival observance in Keelung has a very special historical background. During the Ching Dynasty, Keelung residents from the Chang and Chuan areas of Fukien Province on Chinese mainland frequently clashed over land and water issues, often with heavy casualties on both sides. Local civic leaders were summoned to mediate a truce, the dead were gathered for burial, and the "Elders Temple" was built to appease their souls. To put an end to clan conflict and violence, the civic leaders decided to hold a common Chung Yuan "Putu" on the 15th day of the 7th month every year, with the 11 local clans taking turns organizing the event.

      Beginning on the first day of the month, the clan responsible for organizing the upcoming event hangs the "main putu tablet" in the clan assembly hall. In the afternoon, the "Opening of Gates of Hades" ceremony is held at the "Elders Temple" to allow the ghosts and spirits of the underworld into the human realm where they will receive sacrificial offerings. On the 12th day, a ceremony is held at the Ching An Temple that all clan members are given the "Salvation Lanterns" (also known as "7th Month Lanterns"), which are placed at the front door of homes or at entry and exit points of villages to guide the wandering ghosts and spirits until the gates to the underworld are closed again. That night, the organizing clan hosts the ceremony of lightening the lanterns on the main putu altar, called "Lantern Lighting", so that they will shine upon the two worlds of yin and yang. As a show of honor for the ancestors, the organizing clan invariably lavishes money for decorating the putu altar, making Keelung's nights extraordinarily beautiful during the Ghost Festival observance.

      On the 13th day, the ceremony of "Welcoming Clan Lanterns" is held, when led by various kinds of folk performances and parade troupes, family lanterns of all the 11 local clans are guided to and placed at the Ching An Temple. A "Tashih Mountain" is erected at the Temple, where life-size paper effigy of "General Tashih" is worshiped. According to legend, General Tashih was the chief of evil ghosts who often led in wreaking havoc of this world until the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) subdued him and forced him to forever rectify his ways. His face is hideously ugly, with a statue of Kuan Yin on top of the General's head. During the "putu' period, he is specifically asked to come and manage the hordes of ghosts to prevent them from causing any mischief. When the "putu" ends, the ceremonial cremation of General Tashih is in hope that the chief ghost will order the ghosts back to the land of the dead.

      The Ghost Festival begins to reach a climax on the 14th day. On that day, the "lantern pole" erection ceremony is held in front of the Ching An Temple. Constructed of a long bamboo pole affixed with flags and lanterns on the top, the lantern poles are used to call and invite the wandering ghosts and spirits to the "putu" feast. The taller they are, the further they illuminate, therefore, attracting an even greater number of ghosts and more sacrificial offerings are needed. Thus, the height of the lantern poles should be set according to the "putu" scale. The poles cannot be built too high without sufficient offerings, in avoidance of calamity brought to the people.

      Another spectacle involves the "water lantern releasing", whose original purpose is to provide light for the water spirits to find their ways ashore and enjoy "putu" the same as their terrestrial counterparts. In the evening, after a parade through the city and a prayer ceremony, the water lanterns are set on fire and released into the waters at Ba Dou Tz Harbor. The lanterns slowly drift out to the sea, calling and guiding the wandering water spirits. Due to the beautiful scenes, crowds of people are attracted every year to watch this impressive spectacle.

      On the 15th day afternoon, after a worship ceremony at the "Elders Temple", the grand "putu" (universal salvation) ceremony begins at the Ching An Temple host by the organizing clan of the year. At the end of the ceremony, in fear of those wandering ghosts and spirits reluctant to leave, the "Cremation of General Tashih" and "Dancing Chung Kui" (1) ceremonies will take place with the pounding of drums and gongs, and in the clouds of incense smoke and the devout prayer, mark the coclusion of the animated Ghost Festival. 

      The significance of Ghost Festival observance is not only in honoring and appeasing the denizens of spirit world, it also represents an ethnic harmony, village unity, and sympathy for those suffering hard times. The various materials used during the observance, such as the water lanterns, lantern poles, offering tables and animals, and "ghost money", constitute some very special folk art crafts.