Joss paper

Traditional[ edit ] Joss made from gold foil, dating to the Jin Dynasty AD Joss paper is traditionally made from coarse bamboo paper, which feels handmade with many variances and imperfections, although rice paper is also commonly used. Traditional joss is cut into individual squares or rectangles. Depending on the region, Joss paper may be decorated with seals, stamps, pieces of contrasting paper, engraved designs or other motifs.

Sign up for our newsletter to receive our best activity, recipe and craft ideas before every Chinese holiday. Burning joss paper is a traditional Chinese-Taoist practice that sends money and materials goods to deceased relatives in the afterlife.

American Chinatowns have had dedicated joss paper stores since the first immigrants arrived in this country. Joss paper customs are rich with symbolism and family history, the type of tradition you can imagine being shared in Chinese from grandmothers to their grandchildren. Consequently, adopting joss paper customs here in the United States without a direct cultural connection can be intimidating.

Collectively, joss paper offerings are physical representations of money and daily necessities like clothing, personal electronics and household goods. Here are a few examples.

Beautiful as is, or folded into the shape of gold ingots. Bills feature an image of the Jade Emperor, the Taoist monarch of heaven, and come in outrageous denominations from 10, to 1,, dollars to help an ancestor purchase services, pay off the God of Death or escape punishment.

Here are a few popular designs. The set includes bills resembling the U. Each bill comes in a 20, 50 or Joss paper denomination. Use these bills for family members who would be used to spending Chinese currency.

Each bill comes in a 1, dollar denomination with an image of the Jade Emperor. Crafts are most commonly burned for specific relatives at funerals, on birthdays and death anniversaries and during the Qingming Festival.

No extravagance is too large. Here are just a few examples. Joss Paper Crafts — Male This box of essentials is designed to provide a male family member with everything needed in the afterlife, including a mobile phone, wallet, credit card, glasses, a watch, a lighter and belt. Burning joss paper at funerals became standard practice by the 12th century and the custom arrived in the United States with the first Chinese immigrants who arrived in California during the 19th century.

As you shop for joss paper, note that variations abound. Joss paper may be decorated with different seals, stamps, pieces of contrasting paper, engraved designs or other motifs. Different regions of the world have preferences for the type of joss paper that is used. For instance, Hell Bank Notes are commonly found in regions where Cantonese populations dominate, but are rarely seen or used in places such as Taiwan or Macau, which predominantly use bamboo paper sheets.

Put in more contemporary terms, burning joss paper provides the opportunity to make space and take time to remember the loved ones in your life.

According to tradition, the Chinese believe that the deceased have needs similar to those in the natural world. Joss paper is burned at funerals and during important dates thereafter to help the deceased pay off debts, trade for goods and exist comfortably in the spirit world.

With this context, joss paper ingots and currency with denominations reaching into the billions serve an obvious purpose.

More contemporary additions like joss paper clothing, shoes and lengths of fabric also seem practical. When to Burn Joss Paper There are many occasions to burn joss paper throughout the year, and each instance carries a slightly different meaning and requirements.

Consequently, burning joss paper is an essential part of Chinese funeral customs. Funeral offerings can be elaborate and typically include joss paper squares, lots of currency and household necessities like clothing, electronics and jewelry.

Qingming Festival As part of a tomb sweeping ceremony, joss paper currency and personal craft items are burned to honor the deceased. Setting a up makeshift altar at the curb outside your home with joss paper offerings and food for the ghosts is common.

For instance, some people burn joss paper on the 1st and 15th of every lunar month, at family gatherings like a Chinese New Year dinner or even simply after thinking fondly of an ancestor during the day.

There are many different ways to incorporate the burning of joss paper into the rhythms of the year. The underlying belief is that burning changes the nature of the offering, allowing it to escape the natural world and reach ancestors, gods and ghosts in the spirit world.

Joss paper burning is usually the last act performed in a Chinese ancestor worship ceremony. Joss paper squares may be burned as is, folded in half or stacked into elaborate pagodas or lotuses.

People may write the names of loved ones on the back of the offering, before saying a quiet prayer while the item burns and the smoke rises into the air. The act respects, honors and cares for ancestors in the afterlife, guaranteeing their well-being and positive attitude toward the living.

There are a few superstitions to observe while burning joss paper. Joss Paper Practices Today The growth of Christianity, the loss of language skills and the dispersal of the Chinese American community each threaten the practice of traditional cultural customs in the United States.

Those who burn joss paper often do so in small, quiet ceremonies within their immediate families, resulting in less understanding of the practice across the broader community. Visit a joss paper store in Chinatown, spend time with grandma and then share why and how we burn joss paper with loved ones.Joss paper may be decorated with different seals, stamps, pieces of contrasting paper, engraved designs or other motifs.

Different regions of the world have preferences for the type of joss paper that is used. Chinese Joss Paper – Gold and Silver Foil.

This is the most common kind of traditional joss paper, ″ x 6″ sheets of bamboo paper decorated with a small gold or silver square in the center. You searched for: joss paper! Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and one-of-a-kind products and gifts related to your search. No matter what you’re looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options.

Let’s get started! Incense paper differs slightly from joss paper, though serves the same purpose. Incense paper is a yellow coloured paper with a gold foil printed on it representing a gold tael or . The joss paper is folded in half, or folded into a shape of a gold ingot before being burned in an earthenware pot or a specially built chimney.

How to Buy and Burn Joss Paper: A Complete Guide | Chinese American Family

When burning the joss paper, the sheets are treated as. You searched for: joss paper! Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and one-of-a-kind products and gifts related to your search.

No matter what you’re looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Let’s get started!