Taiwanese Culture and Religions - 金爐與紙錢
Starting from this post I will be blogging in both Mandarin and English as frequent as possible, turning this blog a bilingual one.
猜猜看這個奇特的紅色鐵桶是什麼? 我們拿它來做什麼?
Guess what this peculiar red can is? What we do with it?
如果你答這是一個金爐那麼恭喜你，你答對了！
我們將它用於焚燒紙錢或稱為金紙，紙錢是又什麼呢？
相傳蔡倫造紙因多次試驗失敗，欲將失敗的成品銷毀又不想他人知曉，於是乎假借家人染上惡疾之名，創千百年來焚燒紙錢祈福之濫觴。
If you say this is a papier-mâché incinerator, congratulations, you're correct.
We use it to burn papier-mâché or so-called ghost money.
Legend has it, this practice began with Cai-Lun, for his failures on improving the making of paper. He would like those failed attempts to be destroyed, but he did not want the others to know about the experiments. Therefore, he pretended that one of his family had an incurable ailment, only through burning the papier-mâché one shall regain her health. Thus, it began the century-old tradition of burning the papier-mâché as offerings.
近來有許多文章表示此一說法相當不正確並舉例駁斥之，但這傳說不也為這充滿東方色彩的儀式增添不少趣味嗎?學者們認為此儀式是為防盜墓衍生而來，有興趣的話可以查看看喔。
Recently, there are a number of articles rebutting such a belief. However, I think the story adds a different shade onto this mysterious oriental painting, don't you think? Scholars believe the rites came from putting an end to tomb robberies if you're interested, look them up.
為何至今仍有不少儀式需要焚燒金紙呢?我也只能說出個大概，我個人不是那麼在意燒與不燒這事，然而這項傳統其實包含許多方面。敬鬼神、盡孝道便是其中之一。神祇與先靈所用的金紙是不同的，不能通用。我們將紙錢視為一種貨幣，為亡者與神祇所用的貨幣。這貨幣放在供桌上供奉完成後，須經由焚燒方能完成此儀式。此些不同的金紙，上頭不僅僅是鑲金箔或是鑲銀箔而已，也有印有衣飾服裝的。近年來更有許多新型款式，諸如智慧型手機、平板等電子產品。這些各式各樣的紙錢便是為了祖先們而設計的，讓祂們在另一個世界也能享有一樣的生活品質。藉此以盡孝道。若不燒金紙，唯恐對先祖與神明不敬。這便是為何在這講求環保的年代，人們仍無法接受為環保而不燒紙錢的原由。
Why do people still carry out these rites? I can only vaguely answer some parts of it. Personally, I don't mind reducing the amount of papier-mâché we burn in the name of environmental protection. However, this tradition reflects many aspects of our lives and beliefs; respecting spiritual beings and fulfilling filial piety are just two of them. Papier-mâché for gods and goddesses is different from the one we burn for our ancestors; it cannot be used interchangeably. Papier-mâché is viewed as a currency that can only be used in the spiritual world. After the enshrinement, we burn them in the incinerators to consummate the rites.
它們不只是漆上一層薄薄的金箔或銀箔而已，依不同需求我們選用不同紙錢。有些印有服裝與飾品，近年來更有貼近現代日常生活的諸多設計，如：智慧型手機和平板等電子產品。為了給先人們享有與我們同等的現代便利生活，於是有了這些精緻的紙製仿品。人們深怕一旦此習俗廢止那是對神祇先祖們的不敬，這正是為何至今仍有許多人不畏人言，堅持要燒金紙，並難以接受為了永續發展得廢除這習俗的緣由之一。
Different kinds of papier-mâché are for different purposes. They are not just papers that are coated with gold or silver foils. There are also ones that are painted with clothing and accessory. In recent years, designs that encompass aspects of a modern everyday life such as smartphones and tablets. These intricate replicas are produced so our ancestors can have the same life quality as ours. Through the rites of burning, we fulfill the concept of filial piety. People fear that it is disrespectful to gods and ancestors once it is abolished. This is the reason why people still perform the rites and the reason behind the reluctance of embracing the concept of banning it for sustainable reasons.
猜猜看這個奇特的紅色鐵桶是什麼? 我們拿它來做什麼?
Guess what this peculiar red can is? What we do with it?
如果你答這是一個金爐那麼恭喜你，你答對了！
我們將它用於焚燒紙錢或稱為金紙，紙錢是又什麼呢？
相傳蔡倫造紙因多次試驗失敗，欲將失敗的成品銷毀又不想他人知曉，於是乎假借家人染上惡疾之名，創千百年來焚燒紙錢祈福之濫觴。
If you say this is a papier-mâché incinerator, congratulations, you're correct.
We use it to burn papier-mâché or so-called ghost money.
Legend has it, this practice began with Cai-Lun, for his failures on improving the making of paper. He would like those failed attempts to be destroyed, but he did not want the others to know about the experiments. Therefore, he pretended that one of his family had an incurable ailment, only through burning the papier-mâché one shall regain her health. Thus, it began the century-old tradition of burning the papier-mâché as offerings.
近來有許多文章表示此一說法相當不正確並舉例駁斥之，但這傳說不也為這充滿東方色彩的儀式增添不少趣味嗎?學者們認為此儀式是為防盜墓衍生而來，有興趣的話可以查看看喔。
Recently, there are a number of articles rebutting such a belief. However, I think the story adds a different shade onto this mysterious oriental painting, don't you think? Scholars believe the rites came from putting an end to tomb robberies if you're interested, look them up.
Papier-mâché among the offerings for ancestors
為何至今仍有不少儀式需要焚燒金紙呢?我也只能說出個大概，我個人不是那麼在意燒與不燒這事，然而這項傳統其實包含許多方面。敬鬼神、盡孝道便是其中之一。神祇與先靈所用的金紙是不同的，不能通用。我們將紙錢視為一種貨幣，為亡者與神祇所用的貨幣。這貨幣放在供桌上供奉完成後，須經由焚燒方能完成此儀式。此些不同的金紙，上頭不僅僅是鑲金箔或是鑲銀箔而已，也有印有衣飾服裝的。近年來更有許多新型款式，諸如智慧型手機、平板等電子產品。這些各式各樣的紙錢便是為了祖先們而設計的，讓祂們在另一個世界也能享有一樣的生活品質。藉此以盡孝道。若不燒金紙，唯恐對先祖與神明不敬。這便是為何在這講求環保的年代，人們仍無法接受為環保而不燒紙錢的原由。
Why do people still carry out these rites? I can only vaguely answer some parts of it. Personally, I don't mind reducing the amount of papier-mâché we burn in the name of environmental protection. However, this tradition reflects many aspects of our lives and beliefs; respecting spiritual beings and fulfilling filial piety are just two of them. Papier-mâché for gods and goddesses is different from the one we burn for our ancestors; it cannot be used interchangeably. Papier-mâché is viewed as a currency that can only be used in the spiritual world. After the enshrinement, we burn them in the incinerators to consummate the rites.
它們不只是漆上一層薄薄的金箔或銀箔而已，依不同需求我們選用不同紙錢。有些印有服裝與飾品，近年來更有貼近現代日常生活的諸多設計，如：智慧型手機和平板等電子產品。為了給先人們享有與我們同等的現代便利生活，於是有了這些精緻的紙製仿品。人們深怕一旦此習俗廢止那是對神祇先祖們的不敬，這正是為何至今仍有許多人不畏人言，堅持要燒金紙，並難以接受為了永續發展得廢除這習俗的緣由之一。
Different kinds of papier-mâché are for different purposes. They are not just papers that are coated with gold or silver foils. There are also ones that are painted with clothing and accessory. In recent years, designs that encompass aspects of a modern everyday life such as smartphones and tablets. These intricate replicas are produced so our ancestors can have the same life quality as ours. Through the rites of burning, we fulfill the concept of filial piety. People fear that it is disrespectful to gods and ancestors once it is abolished. This is the reason why people still perform the rites and the reason behind the reluctance of embracing the concept of banning it for sustainable reasons.
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