From August 1, citizens will be able to go to local government offices and ask for specially designated red bags to encourage the centralized burning of paper money and incense, which is a traditional practice in much of Taiwan. People may set out paper money and incense in the red bags for collection at select times and locations by the Cleaning Unit in every town. The unit will then deliver the bags to be incinerated at a central location.

“The government will invite Taoist priests to the incinerators when paper money is being burned,” said Huang Lu Chin-ju, minister of Department of Civil affairs.

In fact, the Taipei city government has arranged for the regular centralized burning of paper money and incense since 1990, and many temples have participated in this effort. Vice director of Lungshan Temple, Huang Shu-wei, said that before participating in this activity, officials of Lungshan Temple often received complaints from neighbors, who stated that white clothes left out to dry in the morning turned gray in the afternoon from the burned paper money. Those complaints have since been greatly reduced.

In keeping with the policy of saving energy and lowering the emission of carbon, Huang Lu Chin-ju stressed that they hope citizens will reduce burning paper money and incense. She went on to say that sincere worship from the heart is more important than any visible ritual.

Huang Shu-wei added that although selling paper money to the public is part of the income for temples, they should still give up the practice for the good of the people and the earth. He encouraged everyone to join in the conservation efforts, asking, “We are always seeking paradise; however, why don’t we instead try to make the place we live in now just like paradise?”

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