Halloween is a Good Time To Burn Hell Notes (Ancestors Money) and Joss Papers to the Western Ghosts and Ancestors

Get together to burn Hell Notes

        Halloween is a festival celebrated  on 31st October every year. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. 

        In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day (1st November) incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats. 

Allhallowtide - After  Halloween Festival (31st October) and All Saints Day (1st November), on the 2nd November will be the All Souls' Day.


Halloween Festival - Good time to BURN Hell Notes and Joss Papers to the Western Ghosts and Ancestors.

        Over here, You will learn how You can apply Chinese Culture of Burning Hell Notes & Joss Papers in every Halloween Festival.

        To most common folks, even the Westerners, Halloween is just a night to party and nothing to benefit the Ghosts. Chinese Folk Religion and Religious Taoism have the answer to really benefit the wandering ghosts on earth and the souls  in the underworld.

        While the Chinese Ghosts & Ancestors have many different days to collect their Ghost Money, let Halloween be the day for Western Ghosts to collect their share of Goodies.

Ideas for Burning Hell (Bank) Notes during Halloween Festival (31st October):

Children Party - During Halloween Party, Children of different races and religions can get together to BURN Hell Notes (Ancestors Money) and Joss Papers to the ghosts. Parents and other adults attending the Halloween Party can also join the children to burn the Paper Offerings. It is a Fun Activity for Children and Parents to do together.

The activity of Burning Hell Notes / Joss Papers can be a mini-scale version of "Bon Fire" outside the house, or it can be Burned as a huge version of Bonfire at the Open Field.


        Hell Notes / Joss Papers, Candies and Chocolates can be stuffed into Hell Goodie Bags and hung up as Hell Pinatas. Children , as well as adults, can whack the hell out of themselves with Wooden Sticks.

        The Hell Notes / Joss Papers and Titbit Goodies will drop down and scatter on the floor. Children can keep the Titbit Goodies. The Hell Notes / Joss Papers will be brought to the Burning Comtainer to be burned away as Spirit Offerings to Ghosts.
          
HAlloween Pinata Stuffed with Hell Notes (Ancestor Money) , Candies and Chocolates


Pubs and Clubs -  Pubs and Clubs who are organising Halloween Parties, can set up a "Hell Notes / Joss Papers“ Burning Container near the entrance / exit for the Club Goers to BURN to ghosts.

Burning Hell Notes (Ancestor Money)  

What the Chinese Folks Of Chinese Folk Religion and Religious Taoism Can Do:

Chinese Folks can also add-on Halloween as another important day ( not just on the Joss Paper Burning Days of the Chinese Folk Religion / Taoist Festivals) to burn Hell Notes & Joss Papers, strictly to the Western Ghosts only.

Chinese Folks Burn Hell Bank Notes (Ancestors Money) and Joss Papers


Extra Information - Here are the other Joss Paper Burning Days by the Chinese:
  • Chinese Folks will burn Joss Papers to their Deceased Loved Ones / Ancestors during Qing Ming Festival.
  • Chinese Folks will burn Joss Papers to Wandering Spirits / Ghosts (and also their Loved Ones and Ancestors) during Zhong Yuan Festival - Chinese Hungry Ghosts Festival.
  • Chinese Folks will burn Joss Papers to the Chinese Deities on every 1st and 15th of every month of Chinese Lunar Calender.
Interesting Information: Western ghosts are only given one night (Halloween) on earth to enjoy their time, while Chinese Ghosts are given one month of freedom on earth during Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival - Zhong Yuan Festival.

All Saints' Day (1st November) - A Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints of Christianity, whether they are known or unknown, who have attained heaven. It is celebrated on 1st November by the Roman Catholic Churches, as well as many Protestant churches.

Important Points To Take Note: If You intent to Burn Paper Offerings to Saints, do not offer Hell Notes (Ancestors Money). "Hell Notes" are Spiritual offerings to ghosts, not to Heavenly Beings. Burn the Correct Joss Papers to the Saints, such as the *Golden Joss Papers*.

Burn Golden Joss Papers during All Saints' Day

      
All Souls' Day (2nd November) - A day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed by certain Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism and certain parts of Lutheranism and Anglicanism on 2nd November. Through prayer, intercessions, alms and visits to cemeteries, people commemorate the poor souls in purgatory and gain them indulgences.

All Souls' Day is a day to pray for the souls of deceased family members / ancestors.

Folks around the world who observe All Souls' Day, may include the activity of burning Hell (Bank) Notes (Ancestor Money) and *Ancestor Joss Papers*  to their Deceased Loved Ones / Ancestors.

Burning Hell (Bank) Notes (Ancestor Money) and *Ancestor Joss Papers*  to their Deceased Loved Ones / Ancestors


Extra Information - Folks from different countries have their own unique ways of observing this day:
  1. In Mexico, people create private altars for their ancestors and decorate them with photographs, flowers, candy skulls, and candles.
  2. In the Philippines, people cook their deceased loved one’s favorite foods for a feast with friends and relatives. Many visit their ancestors’ tombs, light candles, and even spend the night there.
  3. In Hungary, people keep the lights on in their homes for the duration of the night and leave food on the table in memory of their loved ones.
  4. In Poland, families visit the cemeteries where their ancestors are buried and set the night aglow with a veritable bonfire of candles.
  5. In Peru, people share a loaf of t’anta wawa with a friend or relative. T’anta wawa is a sweet bread baked into the shape of a doll or small child.
Notice the similarity of All Souls' Day compare to Chinese Version of Qing Ming Festival (清明节) - Tomb-Sweeping Day -  A Day to remember their Deceased Loved Ones / Ancestors. 


The Saints, Your Ancestors and other Spirit Beings Will Bless You

        From the Chinese Folk Religion Point Of View, by Burning Paper Offerings to Deities (Saints), Ancestors and Ghosts, in return, they will bless You with Good Lottery Luck , Good Sales and Businesses (生意兴隆), Good Job Opportunities and also LOOK OVER YOU and Your Love Ones to give You Peace & Safety on whatever You do and wherever You go (出入平安).


In Summary, Western Folks will have 3 consecutive days of burning Hell Notes / Joss Papers:   
  • Halloween  Festival  - 31st October - Burn Hell Notes (Ancestor Money) & *Silver Joss Papers* to Ghosts
  • All Saints' Day  - 1st November - Burn *Golden Joss Papers* to Saints
  • All Souls' Day - 2nd November - Burn Hell Notes (Ancestor Money) & Ancestor Joss Papers to Deceased Loved Ones / Ancestors
Chinese Folks can also take part to Burn Hell Money (Ancestor Money) and Joss Papers as Offerings to Western Ghosts and Western Saints during the 3 days of Allhallowtide. 


Interesting InformationChinese Filipinos (Chinoys) observe All Souls' Day as an important day to pay respect to their ancestors. On this day, they have their own unique ways of praying compare to Westerners and other Pinoy Folks, but very similar to other typical Chinese Folks in Chinese Version of Qing Ming Festival (清明节). Joss Sticks are lighted up, food are offered to Deceased Love Ones and Joss Papers are burned as Spirit Offerings.  

In fact, Chinoys are great source of information to be sought after by Westerners to learn how to Burn Joss Papers during Allhallowtide Events (Halloween on October 31, All Saints Day on November 1, and All Souls Day of November 2).  

Chinese Temples in the Philippines include the statues and images of The Cross, Jesus and Mother Mary, placed side by side with other Chinese Deities. - Jesus Christ In Taoist Temple

Many Chinese Filipinos practice the traditional Chinese religions side by side with Catholicism, due to the openness of the Roman Catholic Church in accommodating Chinese beliefs, such as ancestor veneration.

Important Points To Take Note:  

In Chinese Folk Religion and Religious Taoism, there are different types of Joss Papers for different level of Spirit Beings - Deities Level, Ancestors Level and Ghosts / Spirits Level. Westerners may find them confusing and complicated. 

Explaining the different types of Joss Papers will be a long topic to write, which will be another article by itself.

Simple Rules to follow:
  1. *Golden Joss Papers* are burned as offerings to the Deities Level (Saints).
  2. Hell Notes (Ancestors Money)  and *Silver Joss Papers* are burned as offerings to the Wandering Ghosts on earth & Spirits in the underworld (Souls in Purgatory).
  3. *Ancestor Joss Papers* There are a certain type of Golden Joss Papers & also Silver Joss Papers  catered for Ancestors.
These distinctions between the three categories of spirit money must be followed precisely to avoid confusing or insulting the spirits. The same rules shall be followed while burning Hell Notes / Joss Papers to the Western Saints, Western Ancestors and Western Ghosts.

If You're unsure of what Joss Papers to burn, You can always drop by at a Chinese Joss Paper Shop in Chinatown of  Your own country and consult the Joss Paper Shop Owner / Assistant. (Or email Taoist Sorcery Master).

The Taoist Version Of KARMA - “Cheng Fu” (承负)


When people learn about "Karma", it is base on the Buddhism's and Hinduism's Perspective.  If You search information online, many articles will mention that Karma will only affect ownself and not onto family members. This is not the same as Taoist Version of Karma.

Over here will reveal the Taoist Version of KARMA , known as “Cheng Fu” (承负) - "Inherited Burden". 

Many Westerners don't know that there is "Karma" in Taoism, because they only know about Philosophy Taoism  from Dao De Jing (道德经).

The Taoist Version Of "KARMA" is found in The Taoist Scripture - Tai Ping Jing (太平经) -  'Scriptures of the Great Peace' or 'Scripture On Great Peace'.

There are 2 Explanations :

The 1st Explanation:  善恶承负 -  The Responsibility of Good and Evil

Volume 39 of the Tai Ping Jing (太平经)  says: "承者为前,负者为后。承者,乃谓先人本承天心而行,小小过失不自知,用日积久,相聚为多,令后生人反无辜蒙其过谪,连传被其灾,故前为承,后为负也。负者,流灾亦不由一人之治,比连不平,前后更相负,故名之为负。负者,乃先人负于后生者也,病更相承负也,言灾害未当能善绝也. - "The inheritor is the front, the one who loses is at the back. The inheritor means that the ancestors acted with the heart of heaven, and made small mistakes without knowing it. Over time, they accumulated the mistakes together. In the future, people will have negative consequences. Innocent descendants are relegated due to their faults, and they suffer disasters due to them. Those who lose are those who have been harmed by the ancestors."

It means that if ancestors accumulate virtues and do good deeds, they will be able to influence their descendants; if their ancestors repeatedly make mistakes and do evil, their descendants will suffer innocent disasters. 

That is what people often say: "Forefathers plant trees, and future generations enjoy the shade; forefathers cause trouble, and future generations suffer."  (前人惹祸,后人遭殃。如果是善的话则是前人种树,后人乘凉). 

The 2nd explanation: 天道循环 - The Cycle Of  Heaven's Way

Volumes 73 to 85 of 《太平经合校》(Tai Ping Jing He Xiao) says: “元气恍惚自然,共凝成一,名为天也;分而生阴而成地,名为二也,因为上天下地,阴阳相合施生人,名为三也。三统共生,长养凡物名为财,财共生欲,欲共生邪,邪共生奸,奸共生猾,猾共生害,而不止则乱败,败而不止,不可复理,因究还反其本,故名承负。-  " The 元气  (Yuan Qi) - 'Vitality Energy' is in a trance and natural, and it condenses into one, which is called heaven; when it divides and produces yin and forms the earth, it is called two, because the yin and yang are combined in the sky and the earth. Giving life to people is called “三” (San)- Three. The "Three systems" coexist, and the cultivation of all things is called ‘财’ (Cai) - Wealth. ‘财’ (Cai) - Wealth coexists with desire, desire coexists with '邪' (Xie) - evil,  '邪' (Xie) - evil coexists with '奸' (Jian) - evil,  '奸' (Jian)  - evil coexists with '猾‘ (Hua) -  Cunning, and '猾‘ (Hua) - cunning coexists with '害’ (Hai) - Harm. If it does  not stop, it will lead to chaos and failure. If the failure does not stop, it cannot be reorganized." , because it goes against its roots, hence the term / name: '承负' (Cheng Fu) - "Inherited Burden".

It means that the three systems of heaven, earth and man coexist and grow and nourish wealth. If there is too much desire, evil will arise, and it will become irreconcilable. Only when the wealth is exhausted will it return to the source of nothingness. 

The first one talks about The Responsibility of Good and Evil (善恶承负), and the second one talks about The Cycle of Heaven's Way (天道循环).

Other related topics from other Taoist Books:

In the Book of Zhou Yi (周易) , which contains 2 parts , Yi Jing (易经) and Yi Zhuan (易传) -  'The Commentary of the Book of Changes' , in the Kun (坤) chapter  - 《易传·文言传·坤文言》 (Yi Zhuan · Wen yan Zhuan ·Kun Wen yan) stated:" 积善之家,必有余庆,积不善之家,必有余殃" -  A family that accumulates good deeds will surely be blessed;  A family that accumulates bad deeds will surely have lingering disasters.. It means: Accumulating virtue and doing good will not only bring good luck to the family, but also bring blessings to the descendants. On the contrary, it will Bring disaster to the family and future generations.

Conclusion: It can be seen from this that the cycle of heaven carries retribution, which is caused by people's evil deeds and desires, and brings great harm to future generations and nature (including society). 

Related Article: The Debt Collecting "Ghost" (讨债鬼) - When Your Child Is Born To Collect Past -Life Debts From You