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China moves to ban burning joss paper to cut pollution and help the environment, but many say it disrespects tradition
- Many Chinese cities are targeting the burning of joss paper in a bid to clamp down on pollution
- Residents are angry and accuse authorities of killing traditional culture
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After making Tomb-Sweeping Day a national holiday in an effort to prevent the erosion of traditional culture over a decade ago, Chinese authorities are now trying to eliminate a major ritual on the day — burning joss paper for the dead.
A number of Chinese cities have launched a crackdown on the thousand-year-old custom ahead of the festival to remember ancestors, also known as the Qingming Festival, which falls on April 4.
The governments of several northern cities including Harbin have warned against the burning of joss paper, also called ghost money and a symbol of currency in the afterlife, during the festival, saying it’s a safety hazard and a source of pollution.
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Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang province has been at the centre of recent controversy after it announced a citywide clampdown on the manufacturing and sales of joss paper recently.
Authorities will undertake stringent inspections on manufacturing and transportation services, and impose strict punishment on sellers so residents “have nowhere to buy and nothing to burn”, the Harbin Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau said in a statement earlier this month.
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