People burn votive papers in Singapore (Photo: straitstimes.com)Singapore (VNA) – Burning votivepapers is an important practice in the spiritual life of Singaporean people asover 70 percent of the population are of Chinese origin, and the country hastightened management to prevent negative impacts of this practice likewastefulness, fire and environmental pollution.
On the first days of the Year of the Dog, manySingaporeans have come to Kuan Yin Temple at the Bugis area to pray for goodfortune. However, instead of burning votive papers or displaying wastefulofferings, local people only buy joss sticks and flowers sold at the pagodagate to offer to the Buddha. Stores of offerings also sell only joss sticks,flowers and candles.
A store owner said burning votive papers at thepagoda has been prohibited for a long time, and pagoda-goers only burn josssticks and offer flowers to pray and show respect for the Buddha.
At the Buddha Tooth Temple, the biggest pagodain Singapore that is located in the vibrant Chinatown district, locals offeronly joss sticks, flowers and candles. They completely do not burn votivepapers or offer sophisticated offerings.
Peter Low, a resident in the district, saidafter a fire 15 years ago, the Singaporean Government banned setting offfirecrackers and curbed the burning of votive papers to prevent fires andprotect the environment and people’s health. At present, pagoda-goers are onlyallowed to burn three joss sticks and completely not burn votive money andofferings.
Over the last decade, the Singaporean Governmentissued concrete and strict regulations on the burning of votive papers.Accordingly, this practice is prohibited at Buddhist pagodas. At temples ofgods and residential areas, people have to burn votive papers at designatedplaces.
Singaporeans usually burn votive papers atUllambana Festival on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. On this occasion,aside from the designated places, many steel boxes are also added to serve thevotive papers burning.
Statistics of Singaporean agencies show that thecountry used to import over 20 million SGD (about 16 million USD) worth ofvotive papers each year. The figure has declined in recent years thanks to thecurb on votive papers burning.-VNA
On the first days of the Year of the Dog, manySingaporeans have come to Kuan Yin Temple at the Bugis area to pray for goodfortune. However, instead of burning votive papers or displaying wastefulofferings, local people only buy joss sticks and flowers sold at the pagodagate to offer to the Buddha. Stores of offerings also sell only joss sticks,flowers and candles.
A store owner said burning votive papers at thepagoda has been prohibited for a long time, and pagoda-goers only burn josssticks and offer flowers to pray and show respect for the Buddha.
At the Buddha Tooth Temple, the biggest pagodain Singapore that is located in the vibrant Chinatown district, locals offeronly joss sticks, flowers and candles. They completely do not burn votivepapers or offer sophisticated offerings.
Peter Low, a resident in the district, saidafter a fire 15 years ago, the Singaporean Government banned setting offfirecrackers and curbed the burning of votive papers to prevent fires andprotect the environment and people’s health. At present, pagoda-goers are onlyallowed to burn three joss sticks and completely not burn votive money andofferings.
Over the last decade, the Singaporean Governmentissued concrete and strict regulations on the burning of votive papers.Accordingly, this practice is prohibited at Buddhist pagodas. At temples ofgods and residential areas, people have to burn votive papers at designatedplaces.
Singaporeans usually burn votive papers atUllambana Festival on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. On this occasion,aside from the designated places, many steel boxes are also added to serve thevotive papers burning.
Statistics of Singaporean agencies show that thecountry used to import over 20 million SGD (about 16 million USD) worth ofvotive papers each year. The figure has declined in recent years thanks to thecurb on votive papers burning.-VNA
VNA
