Last week Sam asked our teacher if Chinese people believed that burning fake money (or I Pads) could really benefit their dead loved ones. Our teacher replied by telling us her personal experience. As is very common in China, she was mostly raised by her Grandparents. When her Grandma died and she was not able to be there she said it was difficult to accept. After some time had passed she suddenly found herself deeply grieving her Grandma. She would be walking on the street, taking a bus, eating lunch, or just doing everyday normal things when out of nowhere she would start crying for her Grandma. Her workmate told her that it was her Grandma that was missing her and that she needed to go visit her grave. So she went to her Grandma's grave and burned some paper money. Afterwards she said she felt like a great weight had been lifted.
So, we asked again if she believed that somehow burning paper money would help her Grandma. She replied that she wasn't sure if it helped her Grandma but that it made her feel comforted and so she thought it was a good thing to do. I then mentioned the fires on the street. She explained that people burn the paper on the street outside their home so that their dead relatives will know how to find them. Apparently dying can really confuse a person so they need to be reminded where their family is.
Words to remember:
fénmù (坟墓)= tomb or grave
qùshì （去世）= to pass away; to die
wǒ nǎinai qùshìle.（我奶奶去事了。）= My grandma passed away.
