Ritual money is burned. Paper offerings to ancestral spirits in modern China

Pavel Vinogradov

On the night of February 7-8 for the Chinese and many other peoples Far East New Year will come, which in China is called the Spring Festival (Chunjie). One of its main traditions is monetary offerings to children, yasuiqian. It is believed that it protects the younger generation from evil spirits. Money is either tied with a colorful thread in the shape of a dragon and placed by the child’s bed, or presented in a red (the color symbolizing joy) bag. Despite the fact that in in this case real banknotes are used, the form of the offering makes it possible to classify yasuiqian as ritual money. In addition, on New Year's Day, many Chinese burn truly ritual banknotes in order to “attract” real wealth.

Ritual money in a store.

Shamanism and ancestor cult

Ritual paper money plays a huge role in Chinese traditions. And this is no coincidence: after all, banknotes were invented in China (as, indeed, paper itself). The most ancient known to the world paper banknotes were used during the Tang Dynasty, in the 8th century. “At the request of the board of the Treasury, it was decreed that this paper coin, bearing the real inscription and sealed with the seal of the reigning dynasty, has value and should be accepted as a real valuable coin. Anyone who breaks the rules will have his head cut off,” it was written on them.

But how did the custom of burning imitation money for mystical purposes arise? The method of communication between the world of people and the world of spirits through the burning of special things has been known since ancient times. Most likely, this is a legacy of shamanism. In general, in Chinese religious life, in addition to the closely intertwined Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, there are a lot of echoes ancient beliefs. For example, the cult of ancestors, with which ritual money is primarily associated.

Chinese mentality provides for the greatest respect for the dead. This can be seen at least from the splendor funeral procession. Among others in it a man is walking, which is called Fenglu-Jinyin. Previously, he scattered scraps of paper indicating gold or silver bars - they were intended for evil spirits that could harm the deceased. This “money” was burned at the grave, and with it paper images of all household belongings, as well as servants and maids. It was believed that in the afterlife, called diyu, all this will take the form required for use.

It is not difficult to guess that this custom was transformed from funeral sacrifices, known to almost all ancient peoples, when real things, and often people, went to the grave with the deceased. However, the Chinese decided quite early on that instead of real victims, they could send imitation ones to the next world. Already in the tomb of the 3rd century emperor Qin Shi Huang, terracotta statues of warriors and servants were found. Until now, the Chinese burn paper houses, cars, clothes, watches, Cell phones, household appliances and, of course, ritual money. Sources mention that the emperor of the Southern Qi dynasty Xiao Baojuan (499 - 501) “on the advice of spirits” ordered a paper imitation of money to be placed in his grave.

Over time, paper images of precious bars turned into real bills, which are now called “banknotes of the underworld” or jinzhi. Ritual money was mentioned in the 1723 sacrificial law of Qing Dynasty Emperor Yongzheng. So the date accepted today for the release of the first “afterlife” banknotes—the 60s of the last century—is clearly too late. But, probably, they mean the first such bills modern look similar to banknotes developed countries, first of all, the USA. However, of course, such “money” existed before, and they were similar to the banknotes then circulating in the region. In general, since the year of issue on the “banknotes of the underworld” began to be indicated only recently, it is quite difficult to find out the exact time of appearance of the older ones.

Otherworldly corruption

“The “banknotes of the underworld” serve as offerings and a means of communication with spirits during folk religious ceremonies,” says ethnographer Li Fengmao. - They represent an offering that can go from human world to the world of spirits. This offering expresses the living's devotion to the deceased ancestors.

The idea that the deceased need a lot of money stems from a centuries-old tradition of the Chinese bureaucracy, which has elevated bribery to almost the level of an official procedure. That is, according to traditional ideas, in the underworld the newly deceased will have to be “handed over” by the officials there. Moreover, in last years, obviously, due to inflation, the amount of bribes to otherworldly corrupt officials has increased greatly. Therefore, the denominations of funeral banknotes are constantly becoming larger, reaching many billions.

However, burning ritual money does not only apply to funeral cults. As already mentioned, fans of the Taoist occult practice of Feng Shui recommend burning them in order to attract wealth in this life. To “open an account in heaven” it is necessary to comply with certain, quite complex, conditions and rituals.

In cemeteries, “banknotes of the underworld” are burned in special ovens, where they are laid out in the form of unfolded piles. It is believed that burning real money instead of sacrificial money brings misfortune. And offering ritual money to a living person is perceived as a death wish and is extremely offensive.

Real money is made on rituals

Needless to say, the widespread practice of burning “banknotes of the underworld” is strongly encouraged by people who make very real money from ritual money. Already in ancient times, there were special shops where they sold not only ritual money, but also mourning clothes, sacrificial paper images of animals, houses, carts and palanquins. Today, “money of the dead,” along with other gifts for the deceased, can be bought in regular stores. A pack of 30-70 banknotes, regardless of denomination, costs approximately one US dollar.

Business took an industrial footing and began to develop rapidly in China from the beginning of the 20th century. True, during the Second World War, the Japanese occupiers, who were trying to suppress Chinese folk traditions, banned it, but companies producing ritual money still worked underground. After the war, this market continued to expand. Today, the annual turnover of the production of “underworld banknotes” in China is estimated at 600-800 million dollars. This “money” is issued in almost every locality countries. The business employs hundreds of thousands of people, from artists to printing workers. China is also the main exporter of these products, which are in demand wherever there is a Chinese diaspora. Taiwan is also not lagging behind mainland China in this regard: back in 1967, nine firms producing ritual money, united into a corporation, began exporting their products to Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia, as well as to the Chinese communities of the United States and Japan. In 1977, in the small Taiwanese town of Zhonnan alone, there were 385 registered manufacturers of ritual money.

This is not surprising: a lot of “banknotes of the underworld” are required - after all, they are burned from the moment of a person’s death until burial. And in China people are not buried right away; the “favorable” date for the funeral is chosen by a Feng Shui adept, and it can take place even a month after death. In addition, the burning of money is repeated on the second anniversary of death, as well as on special days commemoration of ancestors.

For example, this happens during spring holiday Qingming, when Chinese cemeteries are especially crowded. Relatives of the deceased clean up the graves, make sacrifices and hold funeral dinners. Chinese cemeteries are mini-cities with streets. In some " houses of the dead“Electricity and running water are provided, they have kitchenettes, toilets, air conditioning and even televisions. On the walls are photographs and diplomas of the deceased. And on the facades of the crypts they hang mailboxes, where the relatives of the deceased leave letters addressed to the next world. All crypts must have ovens for burning ritual money and other sacrifices.

“Banknotes from the underworld” are also used to bribe hungry (wandering) spirits, which, according to the Chinese, penetrate into the world of the living on the Yue-lien holiday in late July - early August. Then the smoke from the burned ritual money spreads over the entire Celestial Empire. It is believed that if hungry ghosts are not paid off in this way, they can cause a lot of trouble for the living.

Jade Emperor, Lenin and Bin Laden

Today appearance"Underworld banknotes" usually resemble the design of American dollars or euros. Even the inscription on them is in English: “Hell Bank Note”, that is, “Bank of Hell”. It should be noted that the concept of “hell” for the Chinese traditional beliefs does not carry such a negative meaning as for a Christian. However, clearly under Western influence, now some ritual banknotes are inscribed “Heaven Bank” - “Heavenly Bank”.

In general, the designers of these banknotes closely monitor changes in the global market paper money. So the appearance of new security elements on the banknotes of leading powers is immediately reflected in the artistic execution of the “money of the dead.” And development in general monetary relations actively penetrates funeral rituals. For example, now you can use credit cards to “transfer” money to the next world. By color scheme and their design is very similar to American Express credit cards.

The images on ritual money are very diverse. Very often, the obverse features the image of the Jade Emperor Yu-di, the supreme deity of the Taoist pantheon, revered in other Chinese traditions. This is a majestic man in imperial regalia. No less frequent are images of Yanlo Wang, a stern, black-bearded nobleman. Collectors sometimes confuse Yu-di with him, but Yanlo-wan is a completely different mythological character, a judge of the fifth hellish court. It is to him, first of all, according to the Chinese, that the deceased must offer money, otherwise he can impose cruel punishment on the soul. There are others too mythological motives- Taoist Eight Immortal Saints or the heavenly peach that bestows immortality.

In the 20th century, the Chinese decided that the spirits of significant personalities in world history also help the afterlife judges - this comes from traditional beliefs that great people acquire divine status beyond the grave. That is why images of John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Franklin Roosevelt, as well as other US presidents, are placed on banknotes. There are Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, Nicholas II and even... Marilyn Monroe. On one of these banknotes is the face of the terrorist Bin Laden, on the other - the dictator Saddam Hussein, on the third - the revolutionary Che Guevara.

The reverses are designed much more modestly: there is almost always the same design - the palace of the ruler of the underworld. IN in rare cases- the Dalai Lama's palace in Lhasa, and sometimes even the American Capitol. Often on the reverse there are mystical animals - dragons, tigers or lions. Sometimes there is a stylized "underworld bank" seal.

The paper on which ritual money is printed is usually quite thin - because it should burn quickly. However, there are banknotes on expensive polished paper, as well as on cardboard.

"Money of spirits" for bonists

Collectors have long paid attention to these exotic banknotes. A special term used by bonists to designate them is spirit money (“spirit money”). Since they are intended for the deceased, saving them or simply keeping them at home, according to the Chinese, is undesirable. So most full meetings means of payment other world preserved in the West. For example, in the USA, since the late 90s of the last century, there have been special clubs for collectors of “spirit money”, which number more than one hundred members.

However, there are also spirit money collectors among the Chinese. For example, the Taiwanese baker Zhang Yuming, who has been studying this topic for thirty years, has a huge collection.

There are also funny situations when ritual banknotes are mistaken for real ones.
- Once, before my next departure to China, a friend asked if it was possible to exchange in China the old money left over from her husband, who lived in Shanghai until 1947. At the same time, she took out a whole bundle of money. The bag contained... very well-printed money from the “bank of the underworld,” says lawyer Danil Sergeev, who lives in China.

Recently the defenders environment called on Taiwanese residents to stop burning ritual money. They, according to environmentalists, contain unacceptable concentrations of harmful substances and, when burned in large quantities, are dangerous to nature and human health. Once in the body, these substances can negatively affect the brain, cause increased blood pressure, muscle and joint pain, and slow growth in children. The Taiwan Consumer Foundation checked the main places where ritual money is sold and found that every fifth sample tested contained harmful substances. Representatives of environmental organizations issued a call on the eve of Qingming All Souls' Day to abandon the dangerous tradition. As an alternative, environmentalists suggested organizing a ritual in special city waste incineration facilities.

Have you ever seen money being burned? Moreover, this is not done by crazy billionaires who want to prove that for them these are just pieces of paper. Burning paper bills with many zeros in their denomination ordinary people, are not rich at all. Meanwhile, such a picture can easily be seen in some Asian countries.

In China there is so-called ritual money. Or, as they are also called, “Bank of the Underworld notes.” The fact is that, according to the Chinese idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe afterlife, the spirits of the dead end up in a kingdom where Lord Yanlo-wan manages all affairs. This is a deity with the head of a bull and the face of a horse. Yanluo Wang is not only a ruler, but also a judge who decides the further fate of all souls that fall into his kingdom. People who did good during their lifetime receive good rebirths, and sometimes return to their previous life. Well, the villains end up in hell, where they are subjected to torment, or receive difficult rebirths in other worlds.

As in real world, in the kingdom of Yanluo Wang, for a good life, the souls of the dead need money. Moreover, the more there are, the better. And if there are a lot of them, then a bribe given to the chief judge can “excuse” a sinful soul from deserved punishment. It turns out that the Chinese have corruption even in the afterlife.

A stove instead of a cash register

It is believed that money can be transferred to the kingdom of Yanluo Wang using fire. You burned a bunch of yuan - and your ancestors in the next world had them at their disposal. True, it is not real bills that should be burned, but special ones made for the Bank of the Underworld. This money looks like souvenir or game money, like our “joke bank” bills. Outwardly, they resemble a pack of thin sheets of plain paper. There are usually 30-50 bills there. The pack is wrapped in cellophane and costs on average about 30 cents.

The Chinese take the banknotes in circulation in the kingdom of Yanlo Wang very seriously. Even in the process of burning such surrogate money, they are treated like real bills. They are not bandaged, but laid out on the altar so that everyone can see how the living take care of their dead relatives.

Moreover, they burn this money not only in churches, where there are “afterlife ATMs” (special hearths) for such rituals, but also in their home, using ordinary potbelly stoves. At the same time, the Chinese believe that burning real money instead of sacrificial money brings misfortune. It is also not customary to give this money, even as a joke, to living people. This may be perceived by them as a death wish.

In addition to paper bills, iambs - gold or silver ingots, which were used as a means of payment in China until 1933, were also in circulation in the kingdom of Yanlo Wang. Naturally, instead of real precious metals, fake “ingots” made of papier-mâché, wrapped on top with gold or silver foil, are burned in churches.

Keeping up with progress

When “transferring” funds to the afterlife, relatives of the deceased prefer not to skimp. In addition to yuan, US dollars are also burned, as well as other banknotes that enjoy a good reputation in the world of finance. At the same time, they try to throw banknotes of the largest denominations into the fire - from ten thousand to five hundred million dollars!

Externally, the “Bank of the Underworld notes” are similar to their own real prototypes. For example, "dollars" have inscriptions on English language and even portraits of US presidents (Washington, Lincoln). But to give oriental flavor they are often decorated with images of Buddha, dragons, the lord of the underworld, Yanluo Wang, or famous deceased people, such as Marilyn Monroe or John F. Kennedy.

However, it seems that progress has not escaped the kingdom of the dead. Recently, “Bank of the Underworld credit cards” have been used to “finance” the souls of the deceased - from the most ordinary (marked VISA) to carefully crafted credit cards self made, decorated with monograms and the signature of Yanlo Wang himself.

Ritual money is used not only in China, but also in all countries where there are large Chinese diasporas. “Bank of the Underworld notes” are also burned in Vietnam and Cambodia. In total, according to the most conservative estimates, about two billion ritual money is “transferred” to the afterlife kingdom of Yanluo-wan every year. In this case we're talking about about the number of paper bills, and not about their total face value.

Alexander TROFIMOV

Chinese ritual money (Chinese: 冥幣，陰司紙、冥鈔 - literally Money of the Underworld, also Money of the Afterlife Bank) - paper money issued for the purpose of performing the ritual of sacrifices to spirits and transferring to the dead in the Chinese tradition.

To enable the spirits of deceased relatives to live better in the afterlife, they are given paper gifts and paper money, with which they live in the afterlife.

According to other ideas, ritual money is given to them to transfer a “bribe” to the lord of hell, Yanlo Wang, so that he will help them avoid punishment during the trial. In traditional Chinese mythology all who die go to the underworld where they undergo a trial to be sent to heaven or nirvana or to be reborn in other worlds.

Ritual money is burned in special ovens at temples and dedicated to certain deities. Although they look like souvenirs or games, the Chinese take this money very seriously.

During the burning, Hell notes are treated like real money - they are not tied up, but placed in unrolled stacks. It is believed that burning real money instead of sacrificial money brings misfortune.

Common to almost all the obverses of the Underworld banknotes is the image of the Jade Emperor. This is the supreme deity of the Taoist pantheon. He is portrayed as a dispassionate sage who rules the heavens and the affairs of men.

The reverse of banknotes often depict buildings (like the Bank of Hell building), pagodas or even the Potala Palace in Lhasa, which was the main residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama, after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, was forced to leave the country and received political asylum in India. Sometimes a stylized seal of the Bank of Hell is depicted.

It should be noted that in China the word hell does not carry a negative connotation, as in Western countries under the influence of the centuries-old influence of the “holy” Inquisition and Christian obscurantism in general.

The paper of banknotes differs greatly from each other. From low-grade, thin, grayish to high-quality, thick and snow-white. This of course doesn't have of great importance to use the money for its intended purpose, but the collector, of course, wants to hold a high-quality, beautiful bond in his hand.

As far as I know, such bonds are not reflected in catalogs and are not exhibited at auctions, but many collectors have several copies to illustrate the customs and traditions of China. This is part of the life of a collecting country, and is more reflected in banknotes there.

Sometimes ritual money also depicts the Eight Immortals, Buddha, Yanluo Wang, and dragons. It also became popular to issue "credit cards" from the Bank of the Underworld, ranging from primitive ones (marked VISA) to very elaborate ones with handmade monograms and decorations. In addition to the money of the Underworld, some people make and then burn complex objects made of paper, such as houses, cars, clothes, watches, mobile phones, household appliances.

In Feng Shui, these banknotes are called heavenly. Heavenly banknotes are universal remedy Feng Shui, generating energies of prosperity and good protection for you higher powers. By performing the ritual of burning heavenly money, you attract wonderful opportunities into your life in achieving the desired level of well-being and happiness.

If you suddenly decide to open an account with the Bank of the Underworld, follow the following recommendations. Select favorable time to send money to the Jade Emperor Bank. It can be any period that is accompanied by a natural progressive growth of the energies of Nature; solar dawn, the first days of the young moon, New Year. This action can be timed to coincide with any personal celebration, especially birthdays, name days, anniversaries, housewarmings and weddings.

It is better to burn banknotes on a clean plate. In the appropriate frame of mind, carefully set fire to the banknotes one by one, imagining how the smoke, going into the sky, returns to you with enormous wealth in the equivalent of the denomination of the burned banknotes. The remaining ashes should be placed under any plant in or near your home. Now your virtuous money has been deposited into an account in the main Bank of Heaven, which stores all the imaginable and inconceivable treasures and riches of the universe. Don't forget to top up your account periodically.

HELL'S BANK MONEY

Charon transported the souls of deceased people to the gates of Hades on his shuttle. He transported them across the underground river Styx. Payment for this crossing cost 1 obol. The ancient Greeks and Romans placed a coin under the tongue of a deceased person for such transportation. So says ancient mythology.

Many peoples and civilizations had the custom of placing food, weapons, money and other items in the graves of the dead so that the deceased would not need anything in the next world. An interesting Chinese tradition is the use of “hell money” when burying the dead. This type of money is still used today.

They got the name “hell money” because on almost every banknote it is written: “hell bank note” - “hell bank money” or the inscription “The Hell Bank Corporation Limited”. The term “Chinese ritual money”, “money of the dead” is also used.

The Chinese-Russian dictionary translates the hieroglyphs 冥鈔 as ritual paper (fake) money burned during funerals. In traditional Chinese mythology, everyone who dies goes to the underworld of Diyu (地獄/地狱 "underground court"), where they undergo a "trial" to be sent to heaven or nirvana, or to be reborn in other worlds. And in order to appease the judges who will judge the deceased, and also so that the deceased does not have, so to speak, material problems, “hell money” is burned and left on top of the burial or scattered along the path of the funeral procession.

The Chinese also use “hell money” at the “hungry ghost festival.” To appease the dead, people offer them food and burn such "hell money", as well as paper figures depicting houses, maids, and other things that are used in Everyday life of people. All this is presented to the spirits to improve their afterlife. This festival falls on the seventh month of Chinese lunar calendar, on this day the gates of hell open and the dead begin to wander among the living. According to legend, you can’t get married or move to new apartment, and some even avoid going to sea.

It is difficult to say when the tradition of burning this money began. Its roots go back centuries. Apparently, they initially placed them in the graves of the dead. various items everyday life, and then began to burn real money (although now in China burning real money is very bad omen). Perhaps they burned the paper on which money was hand-drawn. But many bonists call 1968 the date of industrial printing of “hell money”.

Reverse side bonds.

The banknotes feature an image of a man with a beard, the so-called Jade Emperor (Emperor of the Ruler of Hell - Lord of Hell) and his signature. There is also the signature of Yanlo Wang (God of Death), and Latin signatures are often placed. On the back of the banknote is an image of the Bank of the Underworld or another design. Sometimes Buddha, Yanlo Wang, and dragons are depicted on ritual money. In the 60-70s of the twentieth century, “hell money” was issued with the image of Joseph Stalin, Marilyn Monroe, John Kennedy, Einstein.

The image is taken from the book “The History of Banknotes: The Secrets of Paper Money” by R. Meisinger, 2010.

On the Internet I came across a version that the judges at the hellish court are world villains, such as Joseph Stalin, John Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, so these individuals are marked with “hell money”. What does Marilyn Monroe have to do with it then? And John Kennedy was not a tyrant and usurper, but he himself was killed. Apparently, the images of Stalin, Kennedy, Monroe and Einstein on the “hell money” were determined by the mystery of their deaths and the great popularity of these people in those years.

In Russia, although we are neighbors of China, collecting such money is not very common. In the USA and to a lesser extent In Europe, many bonists collect “hell money”. Doctoral dissertations have been written and catalogs have been compiled on the topic of this money. However, almost everyone Big City China prints “hell money”, and it is not possible to compile a complete catalog.

“Hell money” is currently used not only in China, but also in all countries where the Chinese live, mainly in South-East Asia. In the USA, where the Chinese live compactly in some cities, such “money” is used in the same way. The situation with “hell money” is played out in one of the films of the famous series “ Secret materials"(X-Files) - "X-Files 3X19 HELL MONEY - 68" (the film was released in 1996).

The Chinese are sensitive to changes in the world. The euro appeared in Europe, and they began to issue “hell money” in style and in color scheme similar to the euro. “Hell money” was issued in various and huge denominations: 5,000,0000, 1,000,0000 and more. However, in modern world everything is changing and the Chinese, in addition to “hell money”, began to issue credit cards from the hell bank. As is known on bank cards there may be different amounts. Let's see what this mysterious China will surprise us with in the future.

PS:This article will be published in the January 2013 issue of the “Vologda Collector” almanac, and I am glad that the readers of the site were the first to read this article.