Harbin bans sale, burning of traditional paper offerings to the deceased

The capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province has banned the production, sale and burning of traditional paper offerings to the dead in an attempt to fight smog.

As Qingming Festival approaches, a time when people traditionally burn paper effigies as offerings to deceased relatives, many cities includ- ing Beijing and Tianjin are promoting more eco- friendly ways of showing respect, such as placing flowers or snacks at the graves of loved ones.

According to the notice issued Wednesday by the Harbin government, firms and vendors who make or sell fake bank notes, paper men, paper horses or any other kind of effigy for burning may face a fine of up to 1,000 yuan ($ 145) and having their goods confiscated.

Citizens found burning these symbols of wealth can be issued on- the- spot fines of between 200 and 1,000 yuan by law enforcement officers.

The city government has also encouraged locals to re- port anyone they see breaking the new rules.

The traditional practice not only causes temporary spikes in air pollution, but can lead to devastating conflagrations.

A resident surnamed Cai of Jinjiang, East China’s Fujian Province, was sentenced to six months behind bars in 2013 after she caused a forest fire which damaged over 71 square kilometers of woodland by burning offerings to her relatives on a mountain, the Jinjiang Economy News reported.