The Chinese calendar is abit tricky for me to grasp. I thought, we only burn incense and paper for the dead during the 7th month, The Hungry Ghost Festival? But since moving to the Northern part of Singapore for the past one year, these burning rituals is literally a regular affair for the folks here. For those who are not entirely aware, the Chinese belief that the smoke from the burning of Paper money will carry the essence of the money to the ancestors in the spirit world. This is a practice to pay respects our ancestors.
My neighbour burns twice a day; once in the morning, and then again in the evening. Eerie it might sounds, she burns in a metallic tin that she places right in front of the lift door to "welcome the spirit of her deceased husband" (our assumption). Fortunately or unfortunately, we are greeted by the smoke when the lift door opens everyday. It does not help that we have sensitive noses and when we are suffering from congestive nose ailments like...now. Talk about fresh air...
Interesting article: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1146812006
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