I signed up for a tour through my university only knowing that the description stated this 5 hour long program would explore death in Hong Kong and paper making. Unable to make the connection, I still thought it sounded really cool (and it was free) so I signed up. The program started with a brief overview of different types of burials common in Hong Kong (traditional burial, cremation and the variety of ways of dealing with the ashes, and donation of body to the medical field). Apparently, it is common practice for Chinese, regardless of religion, to continue practicing funeral ceremonies and beliefs from ancient China alongside the various practices proscribed in Buddhism, Islam, or Christianity. And here is where the "paper" comes into play. The traditional Chinese belief is that the afterlife mirrors this one. In the afterlife, the dead will need money and food and clothes along with everything needed to live in comfort today such as cars and smartph...
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