Happy Chinese Halloween

It’s the hell-of-a-day for the majority Chinese. According to popular belief, the gates of hell break loose on this day. And spirits and ghosts of all kinds, depending on your imagination, run the streets.

However, in this post, I’m not going to comment on this idea of theirs. That is solely up to them, and it’s their rights too. What I’m irritated is their lack of consideration for their surroundings and the people, neighbours in particular.

During the Big Day, Chinese folks tend to offer incense to the Hungry Ghosts. They also offered ‘paper money’ by burning them, believing that this would somehow reach the poor souls in hell and to soothe the angry spirits seeking for justice and vengeance.

At this point, I flared up. No, it’s not about the practice; it’s the way they carry out their rituals. If asked to describe the entire process, one word would suffice-open-burning. Huge cannons were left to burn for hours, causing soot and dust to multiply in the sky. They conquered the neighbourhood, the porch, the laundry and sometimes, eyeballs and nasal cavity! That really picks me up.

I wished I could laugh as I’m telling this, but the cannons were nothing compared to what I’m going to lambaste. They also OPENLY burn their offerings. What’s the effect? Half-burnt paper flew all around the place, clogging the drain and polluting the water. The others converted into soot sail high into the sky, right into our homes. The smog will linger for several days, and God knows what are in them.

I wished I can contain myself, but may I ask you guys slowly whether ARE YOU STUPID? The other day, as I was walking home with my father from dinner, I saw this. A family grouped outside their house, with a stack of paper money piled, ready to be ‘sacrificed’. The oldest of the member circled the pile while muttering prayers and they set fire to it. Just like that. No containers to control the burnings, no wired gauze, no nothing. And they smiled and waved at my dad, who after returning the gesture, turn to me and muttered something (will not quote it here =.= ).

Selfishness had blinded their hearts, thanks to the low education level here in SPS. In fact, the lowest in the state. I think that if a survey is conducted here in downtown Nibong Tebal, most of the folks would have thought that law and order is rather unnecessarily. That explains the parking, the lost children and many other phenomena here.

Look

Samples all over the place

Not very helpful. Where's the gauze?

Water + Air pollution

We really need a big wash here. Mom, do we have any Rain God Month?