FT UPSET S’POREANS BURN JOSS PAPER, SAYS SHE’S PREGNANT & SMOKE NOT GOOD FOR BABY

As a foreigner living in Singapore, can someone explain the Buddhist paper burning to me?

I’m gonna be honest, this is coming from a place of frustration especially today 🙁

We stay on the second floor of an HDB block, and there have been people who burn on the grass directly below our window. There’s no designated burning bin there, but I’m not sure if that’s okay?

We’ve seen people setting up both the sticks (sorry I’m unfamiliar with the correct language!) and also burning the papers. I am also pregnant and the smoke is not great for both me and my baby.

Can someone please explain the significance of the burning? I want to ask people to move to a designated burning area, but I’m not sure if it would be rude for me to ask– since I’m not sure how sacred the act of burning actually is I’m not sure if I should interrupt.

Besides my obvious personal annoyances, I’m also pretty shocked at this regular practice considering how bad it is for the environment! Have there been any attempts to modify the ritual to make it more eco friendly over the years?

I hope I’m not offending anyone…just hoping to hear some personal descriptions rather than the general statements I can find on Google. Thanks all.

Netizens’ comments

1. It’s basically offerings to either deities or people who have passed away.
   It’s unfortunately not illegal what they are doing, though it’s highly irresponsible. I would suggest approaching them nicely about it and point out your pregnancy, and if you can find the proper burning bin area, direct them to it.
   Most people would be okay to shift their burning spot if asked nicely, so do just give it a try first before attempting to escalate.
   Practice is likely to die out in a couple more generations, but for now it’s just something that will happen.
2. It’s for the spirits/gods/ancestors/whatever.
   It’s entirely possible to do it in a considerate way. The Buddhist/Taoist temples/organisations and the Government have been telling people to do it properly for ages.
   But these inconsiderate people simply don’t care. They’re not the ones having to clean up the mess (the poor foreign workers do that).
   That said, if you are a foreigner, I’d advise you to refrain to telling them off. You don’t want an “incident” even if you’re perfectly in the right.