Chinese Paper Offerings (Images of Asia Series)

Citation

Schmoller, T. (1998), "Chinese Paper Offerings (Images of Asia Series)", Asian Libraries, Vol. 7 No. 11, pp. 351-352. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1998.7.11.351.1

Ever since reading Roderick Cave’s afterword to an article entitled “Money to burn” in Matrix, Vol. 4 (1984) by my husband, and his fuller treatment of the subject, “Ceremonial papers of the Chinese”, in Matrix, Vol. 12 and Vol. 13 (1992‐1993), I have been waiting for the publication of this book on a fascinating subject which the author has been studying for many years. A glance at the bibliography, with almost 50 references, shows that much has been written about the production and use of these papers, but there is nothing, to my knowledge, in readily accessible form. Dard Hunter’s magnum opus, for instance, is beyond most of our pockets.

The burning of spirit money is widespread throughout Southeast Asia either to placate the deities or to help the deceased on their way into their new abode. This practice appears to have been established before the seventh century ad; paper coins were cut or stamped from white paper to represent silver, or from yellow paper to represent gold. Sheets of such paper coins are still available today: the more sophisticated Bank of Hell notes are common everywhere, including Chinese supermarkets in the West, particularly as a result of Vietnamese migration. Today those who have crossed to the other side are also likely to require modern conveniences such as mobile phones, television sets and even more elaborate items such as cars, all fashioned from paper work ‐ three‐dimensional, very finely detailed models built by gluing on to a light wooden or bamboo frame the gaily coloured machine‐made papers which are today supplanting the handmade variety. Apart from paper money, almanacs are required to identify auspicious or inauspicious days for various activities, and to indicate the times of festivals; as are charms, talismans, prayer sheets, papercuts and New Year prints.

The 21 colour plates and 24 monochrome illustrations show examples of the wide range available, not only of coins and notes, but also of the very elaborate and often beautiful coloured woodcuts. Printing is described in depth: the carving of woodblocks on white jujube or date wood, the strict conventions to be followed, the interesting and economical use of “insert” blocks which enabled a general woodblock to be used for different figures by substituting the head and shoulder section. The actual printing, done by placing a sheet of paper over the inked block and brushing it, is usually done only once in a single colour. Some types of prints, particularly door god and New Year prints, are coloured by hand, usually in a family assembly line, or colour can be added by successive printings, sometimes up to eight. Stencilling is an alternative method. Many papers are brushed red ‐ using safflower as a dye ‐ and printed only in gold, to great effect.

The marketing of ceremonial papers and paperworks is described, with tips for collectors on where to find the best shops and suppliers. But, from personal experience, the most exciting finds are accidental: coming across a group of village women folding papers in a traditional way, or being given some papers at a temple by a friendly family group who no doubt could not understand (language problems preventing an explanation) why the papers were carefully folded away instead of being burnt as offerings.

The book ends with a chapter on the use of ceremonial papers today, emphasising that the reason so many religious practices involving the use of paper have survived is because of the tenacity of the beliefs of ordinary people ‐ beliefs which have managed to survive despite the many attempts by those in authority to discourage their use. In spite of discouragement and even prohibition, the everyday rites of passage such as births, marriages and funerals, the appeasement of gods, the marking of festivals or the passage of time are still celebrated using Chinese paper offerings. This valuable book helps us understand these important cultural artefacts and belongs in any library concerned with collecting these ceremonial papers or in Chinese cultural and social life.