Hell money
Hell Money ( English bright money or English pale banknotes ) mimics regular bills with exaggerated high value information and is the most common form of joss paper ( ; Chinese 金紙 , Pinyin jīnzhǐ for "gold paper" , "Schicksalspapier") or joss money ( ; Chinese 冥幣 , Pinyin míng bì for "ghost money ", "fate money "). Hell money is offered as a burnt offering in ancestral cult , mainly in the religion of Daoism in China . It has been known in all East Asian cultures for around 1000 years, religiously linked primarily to Buddhism and its currents, and is used wherever it is present. Other shapes are made of paper -made secular valuables or gold-plated or silver-plated , rectangular pieces of paper, are written to the occasionally good wishes prior to burning.
etymology
The term " hell " in hell banknotes ( English bright ) refers to the construct of Diyu ( Chinese 地獄 , Pinyin DIYU for "Underworld prison"; also Chinese 地府 , Pinyin dìfǔ for "Underworld Court"), which in Daoism and known to other Buddhist currents (Daoism arose when Confucianism merged with Buddhism in China). That is why the characters for it can be found on every hellish note. According to traditional Chinese understanding, this refers to the place where the souls of the dead are tried by the lord of the "earth judgment", Yan Wang . After this judgment they will either be led to heaven or into a labyrinth of plains and chambers of the underworld to atone for their sins . In addition, there is an isolated view in Daoism that a deceased needs a certain amount of hell money at the “earth judgment” in the hereafter to pay a (partial) indulgence for his transgressions in his earthly life.
In Buddhism, the Diyu is more like a purgatory , with women reserved for a “ blood pool ” or “blood pool”. The stay there serves to purify before rebirth . According to some currents of Buddhism, only people who have died as a result of a violent crime become ghosts, who have to be appeased with hell money so that they do not haunt the living.
In Taoism, as practiced in Singapore , the prevailing belief is that everyone is born through a loan from the Hell Bank , which the relatives and interest must repay by burning hell money within 49 days of the date of death.
A theory of the philosopher and sinologist Wenchao Li from the University of Hanover and holder of the Leibniz Endowed Professorship states that the concept of “hell” was introduced by Christian missionaries in China, who taught that all non-Christians of the Chinese population “ go to hell ”. A misleading interpretation arose, according to which "hell" generally stood for the afterlife that was established. Some modern hell bills attempt to correct this by the term (by "heaven" English heaven ) or "Paradise" ( English paradise replace).
Variants of Höllengeld and joss paper and their distribution
Hell money was burned in Asia 1,000 years ago; the first evidence of this can be found from the time of the Three Kingdoms around 220 BC . Unlabeled, white paper was then cut into coin form and burned to appease the ghosts. In addition, there was hell money in the form of coin imitations made of thin-rolled gold foil. From the 12th century it was common practice at burials to offer burnt offerings made of paper (such as hell money and imitation utensils today).
Typical hell banknotes are of the design of the Custom Gold Unit banknotes ( Chinese 關金圓 ) of the Republic of China modeled on that avers the portrait of Sun Yat-sen's show and reverse an image of the Bank of China : The front usually displays an image of the Jade Emperor Yu Di , who is the "ruler of heaven" according to Taoist understanding, his signature ( Romanized as "Yu Wong" or "Yuk Wong") and the signature of Yánluó ( Chinese 閻羅 ), the "King of Hell" (Romanized as " Yin Low "). On the back of the hell banknotes you can see a stylized representation of the “Hell Bank” as a building of classical Chinese architecture . Hell money is available in one color, two colors ( green / brown ) and colored. Often times , the serial number of a hellish bill consists of numbers that have a positive connotation when spoken . For the two hell money notes in the main photo of this article, it is the serial number "168168"; that corresponds twice to the numbers “Yī, Lù, Fā” ( Chinese 一路 發 ), which in a figurative sense means “good luck with all things”.
In addition, there are other versions, labels and designs of Hell Money, which depend on the region of their production. In addition to fantasy designs, there is, for example, hell money that is similar to British pounds or euro banknotes . Some hellish bills therefore do not depict the Jade Emperor, but rather other famous personalities from Buddhist or Chinese mythology such as the Eight Immortals , Buddha , Yama or images of two writhing dragons wrestling around a ball, a traditional one, none Ideology attributable symbol for China. Some hellish banknotes show western personalities like John F. Kennedy , Albert Einstein or Marilyn Monroe .
Until inflation rose in the Republic of China from 1944, hell bills were produced in denominations of five and ten Fǎbì ( Chinese 法 幣 ) upwards because these amounts were considered sufficient for the "earth dish". The nominal values in everyday life are reflected in the value levels intended for the afterlife. After 1945, the majority of hell bills were issued in denominations of 5,000 or 10,000 imaginary dollars or higher. Modern hell bills are known for their exaggerated denominations of up to billions of dollars.
In addition to hell money , joss paper is offered as a burnt offering. There is no clear name for this in German, only paraphrases: It literally means "gold paper" ( Chinese 金 紙 , pinyin jīnzhǐ ), but joss paper is not always gold-colored. The alternative Chinese term can be translated as “ghost money ” ( Chinese 冥幣 , Pinyin míng bì ), but joss paper is not only used to appease spirits, but also as a sacrifice to certain gods (see above). The term joss ( ) stands for “fate” and is used, for example, in the phrase that someone has had bad joss ( bad luck ) or good joss ( luck ). Typical joss paper is a yellow or white square piece of paper that has been partially coated with gold or silver paint and is often supplemented by orange or red areas. The Chinese color theory differs from the western meaning: yellow (corresponds to gold) was traditionally the color of the emperor and as such forbidden for all others, it has the same positive properties as red; Orange stands for family cohesion , luck and power; Red stands for luck, the defense against evil spirits, prosperity, fame, fire, power and strength and became popular because imperial yellow was a forbidden color in imperial times; Although white is the color of mourning in Asia, it also stands for free thought and contemplation . Gold-colored joss paper is sacrificed in honor of the gods, silver-colored joss paper for the well-being of the ancestors. Before igniting, either an individual good wish is written on this “fate paper” or the character for “happiness” ( Chinese 福 , Pinyin Fú ) is placed. According to a study by the University of Singapore in 2015, it can be observed among younger Daoists that neither the time is taken to (artfully) fold hell money nor to write on joss paper ; both are burned without pretreatment. The study considers the increasing hectic pace of everyday life to be a plausible reason for this change.
Shops in Asia that specialize in the sale of ritual articles and which are often found near temples and cemeteries offer larger and lavishly decorated notes that have a higher value than the usual hell notes. There are also factories in which items such as cars , musical instruments or smartphones are handcrafted as unique items ; most of these establishments are in Hong Kong . In Singapore, supermarkets such as the third largest (as of 2018) chain called "Sheng Siong Hypermarket" sell hellish money in many variations. Höllengeld and joss paper are also available in different designs in Asia markets in Europe . Overseas, Chinese pharmacies tend to sell hell's money unless there is a shop for ritual objects nearby, for example in the Chinatowns in Montreal and San Francisco .
use
The central occasion for the burning of large amounts of hell money and joss paper , which recurs once a year, is the ghost festival (on full moon in August ; also known as the “festival of the hungry ghosts ”), on which, according to Taoist belief, the “gate to hell” is open. Depending on family tradition, it is common to burn hell money every time you visit a temple or cemetery.
Before lighting, the notes are placed loosely in a fire bowl in a respectful manner or gradually thrown into the burning fire . Prayers are said softly . Alternatively, there is a custom that each hellish note is folded in a certain way before use, provided that the victim believes that money on fire will otherwise bring bad luck . In Vietnam it is customary to label imitations of paper intended for incineration with a sender and a recipient , so that it can reach the desired deceased in the afterlife and this way he can find out who made the offering.
In April 2006, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China banned the practice of "vulgar" joss paper burn victims , including paper and paper mache imitations of luxury villas , limousines , mistresses , Viagra pills and other improper items . This also includes imitation models of " Karaoke - Hostesses " and " Supergirls " based on the hit TV competition Mongolian Cow Yogurt Supergirl . According to the ministry, the ban is an effort to sanction feudal and superstitious behavior .
While the ritual burning of hell money, imitating banknotes, is permissible in China, the burning of circulating money is a criminal offense in the People's Republic of China and other countries and therefore, apart from its higher value, is no alternative to hell money .
In 2016, 1,000 tons of paper were burned in China as hell money or handicrafts made from joss paper ; the proceeds for these goods amounted to 1 billion euros.
Conflict, Criticism and Change
In 2017 there were protests for the first time on a larger scale and with media coverage against the burning of hell money during the "ghost month" of August. Were led into the field ecological reasons such as waste paper or the use of harmful gold and silver color, the increase of the particulate matter and a negative CO 2 footprint by the combustion. In Singapore in 2011 there were 105 violent clashes between Daoists and Singaporeans with Indian roots, who felt annoyed by the smoke and claimed damage to the grassy areas from fire bowls placed directly on them. At the same time, attention was drawn to the increased risk of fire due to improper hellish money burning in the densely built-up city-state . Since 1 March 1998 have banners of the Government of Singapore to roadside fences residents indicated that they publicly established fire baskets for burning joss money should be used and are required after the ritual to clean up.
Conversely, manufacturers of hell money complain that, for example, due to the common obligation to have to use recycled paper for production , the quality of the individual notes is noticeably poorer than 40 years ago, which is why the notes burn too quickly today, hardly any or no ashes rise and therefore no contemplative effect occurs.
In the last 50 years the acceptance and practice of using hell money has changed. The younger generations grow up without religious affiliation and no longer understand or practice the tradition. Shops specializing in ritual items in Singapore, for example, are reporting a steady decline in sales. In addition, the younger generations have no time to artfully fold joss paper or hell money before burning. At the same time, a large number of articles and clips on video and social media platforms as well as the sales figures in online retail demonstrate the growing interest of non-Asians in hell money in Europe and North America .
There is a Chinese website where virtual hell money can be bought and virtually burned.
Trivia
- Hell Money is the title of a novel by the author Ellen Steiber of 1998, based on the episode of the original title Hell money from the 1996 television series The X-Files - The X Files . The remainder of a hellish money note on a corpse in the cremation chamber of a crematorium is the namesake for the title of this episode. The testimony of a local police officer , the Dana Scully and Fox Mulder to support the crime in the investigation, there were hardly any shops in San Francisco, hell money selling, is not understandable as this in reality is known and widely available in Chinatown.
- In 2015, a couple who were on the return journey from Vietnam to the USA were stopped by customs at Detroit Airport because they had "worth" more than 3 billion "dollars" of hell money with them. The customs officials initially thought the notes were counterfeit because they did not know the Daoist tradition of burnt sacrifices for the ancestors.
- “Hell's money” is not a term that occurs exclusively in the context of Asian ancestor worship: the term also appears in the saga The Wolf and the Pine Cone , which can be found in the works of the Brothers Grimm from 1818. According to this, the Aachen Cathedral is said to have been built with "hell money", which the devil gave the councilors in return for the first soul of the person who would enter the cathedral. The cunning Aacheners did not send a person to the cathedral first, but a wolf whose soul is said to have had the shape of a pine cone .
Related topics
literature
- Livia Kohn, Harold D. Roth: Daoist Identity: History, Lineage and Ritual . University of Hawaii Press, Pearl City 2002, ISBN 978-0-8248-2504-1 .
- Wolfgang Münke: The classical Chinese mythology . Klett Group , Stuttgart 1976, ISBN 978-3-12-906010-0 .
- Ward D. Smith, Brian Matravers: Chinese Banknotes . Shirjieh Publishers, Menlo Park , California 1970, LCCN 73-023064 , p. 144 f .
- Michael Knüppel: On the spread of “heaven money” among Muslims in China . In: Monetary History News . tape 54 , no. 303 , May 2019, ISSN 0435-1835 , p. 154-158 .
Web links
- Video clip of the report from January 3, 2016: Joss Paper - When Buddhists Burn Money ( Galileo , ProSieben )
- Website waheaven.com in the People's Republic of China for the virtual purchase and the virtual burning of hell money
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Wolfgang Münke: The classical Chinese mythology . Stuttgart (Klett): 1976. ISBN 978-3-12-906010-0 .
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Anna Saradha, Lee Mandy, Ong Shikai and Jeremy Yeow: Project: The Burning Question about a Dying Practice . Module HH4014: A Global History of Death (Instructor: Dr. Song-Chuan Chen). Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2015.
- ↑ a b c d e report from January 3, 2016: Joss Paper - When Buddhists Burn Money (Galileo, ProSieben).
- ↑ Wenchao Li: The Christian China Mission in the 17th Century. Understanding, incomprehension, misunderstanding. A study of the history of ideas on Christianity, Buddhism and Confucianism. Stuttgart (Steiner): 2000. ISBN 978-3-515-07452-0 .
- ↑ Sidney D. Gamble: Burning incense and ghost money in Miao Feng Shan. , China 1924.
- ^ A b Ward D. Smith, Brian Matravers: Chinese Banknotes . P. 144. Shirjieh Publishers, Menlo Park, California 1970.
- ↑ a b c d e video clip Người Việt Daily News: Traditions Explained: What is the purpose of hell money? , published March 12, 2016, accessed January 5, 2018.
- ↑ Katharina von Kleinsorgen: Symbolic meaning of colors in China: color symbolism in feudal, republican, Maoist and modern China. AV Akademikerverlag , 2012. ISBN 978-3-6394-3100-1 .
- ↑ Lina Jia: Intercultural Communication in the Context of Art Education: The Use of Color and the Meaning in China and Germany. Master's thesis at the University of Augsburg . Diplomica Verlag , Hamburg 2014. ISBN 978-3-8428-8903-3 .
- ↑ Benebell Wen: The Tao of Craft: Fu Talismans and Casting Sigils in the Eastern Esoteric Tradition. North Atlantic Books, 2016. Page 110 f. ISBN 978-1623170660 .
- ↑ China Daily : Article "China bans tomb-sweepers'" vulgar "burned offerings" from April 25, 2006, accessed on January 5, 2018.
- ↑ Recommendation of the EU Commission on the status of euro banknotes and coins of March 22, 2010 (IP / 10/331, reference: Memorandum 10/92; PDF): “The complete destruction of euro banknotes or coins by individuals in small amounts Quantities should not be banned. "
- ^ A b Melissa Pang: "Incensed by incense: Spike in complaints against burning of joss paper during Hungry Ghost Festival". Article in the Straits Times , Singapore, August 21, 2011.
- ^ Catalog entry at the German National Library .
- ↑ Entry on the episode Hell money (S03E19) in the Internet Movie Database , accessed on January 4, 2018.
- ↑ Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: German sagas - complete edition with 585 sagas + prefaces and remarks . Chapter "The wolf and the pine cone". Cologne ( Anaconda Verlag ): 2014. ISBN 978-3-7306-0101-3 .