Joss paper

(not to be confused with Joss stick)

It hits 30 degrees today, the highest so far this year. Meanwhile locals are busy burning large quantities of monopoly money on the streets in steel drums. Smoke and heat fill the town's already traffic polluted hot air. So much for Taiwan's contribution to global warming. You would think with Beijing not far away, people here would understand the problems and be more aware, but it seems that the human race is a hopeless case. The burning of fake money (which you have to buy !!! is that insane or what !!!) is a traditional Taoist-Buddhist ritual, which takes place on a regular basis throughout the year. Given the current climate problems it is hard to accept even if it is an age old tradition with deep meaning for remembering dead ancestors. 

Today I was so taken aback as I coughed my way across the street through a cloud of thick blue smoke that I clean forgot to take a photo. In future I shall be on the lookout for burning drums to add photos of them to this page during the coming weeks.

Watch this space ...

Update 040413 Today April 4th is a public holiday in Taiwan (Shopping not included) and as is customary a man burns fake paper money in remembrance of his ancestors. Thick wads of money are regularly disposed of to keep the fire burning in these metal drums, which are a common sight lining the streets at such times ... 

Call me cynical, ignorant or faithless if you like, but I do believe in God. I am not religious however, though I have nothing against religions whether they be Islam, Christianity, Judaism or anything else. It's just that I think for myself, so please don't tell me what I should believe in or what I should think or do. I have nothing against churches, temples or mosques, or burning incense or celebrating the dead with some sort of fire. Many people in Taiwan go to spiritualists to help them get in touch with their deceased loved ones. I find that loved ones come to me in my dreams at night and that costs nothing. Recently I saw a TV documentary about Taiwan Buddhism/Taoism and someone had burnt a beautiful piece of calligraphy to remember a loved one who had passed away. I thought, what a pity to see such a work of art destroyed. I know if I were dead I would hope that people could remember me happily without the need to burn works of art of fake paper money.