
Why do people burn paper offerings during the Hungry Ghost Festival?
Ancestor worship is still a major part of Chinese culture – though the term is a bit of a misnomer, because this concept is closer to paying respects rather than a deified worship. It is believed that the gates of the underworld open during the Hungry Ghost Festival, and spirits are able to reenter the world of the living and visit their loved ones during this period. Chinese people will therefore burn paper offerings so their deceased relatives can receive otherworldly material goods and enjoy a comfortable afterlife.