While the purpose of the lantern poles is to attract wandering ghosts on land, the water lanterns are intended to release the ghosts of the drowned from their underwater prisons.
水燈有別於燈篙上的紙燈，前者用來引接海中孤魂，超渡他們脫離水牢，後者則是指引陸上的孤魂享用人間祭品。