As title !

Of course my wife's mum was Chinese so my wife likes to do all that Chinese stuff on Chinese New Year. Harmless enough (except for cost and pollution no doubt) and it provides a time when they are actively remembered and a link to the continuous thread of the past.

Of course my wife's mum was Chinese so my wife likes to do all that Chinese stuff on Chinese New Year. Harmless enough (except for cost and pollution no doubt) and it provides a time when they are actively remembered and a link to the continuous thread of the past.

Chinese don't burn money. Are you insane. Effigy's and fake money, yes but never the real thing.

What money..............

Of course my wife's mum was Chinese so my wife likes to do all that Chinese stuff on Chinese New Year. Harmless enough (except for cost and pollution no doubt) and it provides a time when they are actively remembered and a link to the continuous thread of the past.

Chinese don't burn money. Are you insane. Effigy's and fake money, yes but never the real thing.

Thanks for the clarification - should have said fake money.

But it is a silly ritual and the cost of some of those paper things they burn can amount to a lot. T.V's, cars, video players, gold bars, computers, etc.

The real reason behind it has also been lost and misunderstood.

Now people believe that the essence of these things will transfer to their past relatives in heaven where they can use them (and need them).

For one thing if they really are in the heaven realms they need nothing. If reborn human or animal or hungry ghost or in hell they also cannot get anything...the one thing they do need is merit...transferred and shared by people still in the human realm.

The original idea was to remind us of impermanence....how we cannot take anything with us when we die apart from our good and bad karma.

But it is a silly ritual and the cost of some of those paper things they burn can amount to a lot. T.V's, cars, video players, gold bars, computers, etc.

The real reason behind it has also been lost and misunderstood.

Now people believe that the essence of these things will transfer to their past relatives in heaven where they can use them (and need them).

For one thing if they really are in the heaven realms they need nothing. If reborn human or animal or hungry ghost or in hell they also cannot get anything...the one thing they do need is merit...transferred and shared by people still in the human realm.

The original idea was to remind us of impermanence....how we cannot take anything with us when we die apart from our good and bad karma.

You are correct of course fabianfred and the big plastic sack of all the fake stuff was faintly absurd. But it wouldn't be appropriate for me the falang to take umbrage at my wife and her families traditions which mean something to them - and at least their parents are remembered and respected in these traditions. Back in the UK we visit our parents grave at Christmas and put on a wreath and take a moment to reflect on what was and where we came from (and where we are going to as well).

Most Thais go to the temple because they want something and are in petitionary mode and I sometimes jocularly point out to my wife that you should be going to the Wat to be able to renounce your wanting not wanting more. Anyway bpen cheewit as I get older I hope I understand more and condemn less - we are all trying to just get through life as best we can and help others and be helped if necessary on the way.

In China they have Buddhism and Tao which from Lao Zi , burning money paper was not from Buddhism it's from Tao religion

In China they have Buddhism and Tao which from Lao Zi , burning money paper was not from Buddhism it's from Tao religion

Yes that's correct. It's all about balance. Some people really will burn real money as a transformative "art".