Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Vietnamese burn ’hell dollars’ for the dead

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Vietnamese burn ’hell dollars’ for the dead

Multistoried houses, luxury cars, laptops and other valuable items go up in smoke during the Vu Lan festival, as many Vietnamese people believe the more offerings they burn for their dead relatives, the better their afterlives will be.
Hoang Thu Cuc is one such believer.

Many Vietnamese believe that the world of the living is similar to the world of the dead. (Photo: VNN)An advocate of the age-old tradition of ancestor worship at the Vu Lan festival - also known as a chance to pardon guilty ghosts which are homeless and unloved - Cuc says she spent more than VND400,000 to buy paper models of the latest mod-cons and hell dollars (fake money slated for the dead) to burn for her dead relatives.
Like Cuc, many Vietnamese believe that the world of the living is similar to the world of the dead. This prompts them to burn a wide range of hang ma - paper offerings for ancestors and homeless guilty ghosts-especially during the Vu Lan festival which is held on the fifteenth day of the seventh month of lunar calendar.
Yet, the meaning of the Vu Lan festival has been misunderstood by some Vietnamese people who believe the dead will bring them prosperity, good luck and good health in return for their generosity

more inf0-->>VietNamNet - Vietnamese burn ’hell dollars’ for the dead

No comments:

Post a Comment

They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.