In Asian funeral traditions, prior to cremation, the deceased is showered with tools for their journey beyond this earthly existence. This includes money and a home in which to live.
Jewell Wu from Taiwan with Jun Guang Yi Enterprises talks about their products for cremation, including fake paper money and paper houses.
The idea behind the Asian tradition of putting fake money in the casket before the deceased is cremated is to send loved ones off with wealth. You can take it with you! The display includes pounds, euros, dollars, and yen, as well as combustible gold bars and coins. An abacus is included, to help count up the “riches.”
She also shows a paper doll house, representing a home in which the deceased may live in the next world. The multi-story structure includes furniture, decorations, and a car, all made of safely combustible material. It’s something else that is meant to be placed in the casket before cremation.
The company also produces a display case to surround the cremation urn with Buddha images.
Interview conducted by Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®, host and author of A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die. Recorded at the 2014 International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) convention and expo.