In Case it Rains in Heaven: An interview with Photographer, Kurt Tong

A traditional Chinese belief maintains that the dead need sustenance, shelter and money in their next existence, and it becomes the responsibility of the living to care for their needs.  Paper effigies of bank notes, food, clothing and personal items are burned with the belief that these items become real and can be used by our dead relatives.

The idea that the existence of the dead is very similar to that of the living, that they need food, clothing and shelter, must have a profound effect on how life and death are envisioned and lived out.  They effect the way we live just as a belief that the quality of our after life is determined by our adherence to certain beliefs ,the performance of certain actions in life, or the idea that in death we have no need for food or clothing does.

Photographer, Kurt Tong created a series of images depicting the various paper items currently  available to those who aim to provide for their dead.  This series has been on display in galleries across the world, and is documented in the book 'In Case it Rains in Heaven'.  Mr Tong has graciously agreed to share a conversation about his work on The Daily Undertaker.


Patrick McNally: Today, as you document in your photographs, paper effigies of cellphones, airplanes, designer athletic shoes, and fast food can be found along with more traditional items like joss money servants and houses.   You suggest that the practice of burning paper items may be a form of compensation for a life of hardship and depravation.  What do these high status effigies mean to those who burn them?

Kurt Tong: I can only speak for people of Hong Kong, even though it has been one of the richest city in the world, there is a huge amount of poverty in the city.   The government estimates that nearly 20% of the population live in poverty. People spend their lives living hand to mouth and in tiny apartments. The idea that they can have a mansion, and no more money worries was the driving force behind the traditional effigies; the houses, the money. However, as materialism takes hold of the younger generations and especially in mainland China, often the effigies might be things that they already have had when they were alive, and it’s becomes an extension of enjoying the high life after death. A couple of years ago, there was a businessman who bought a Bugatti veyron at 1.5 million dollars to be burned at his funeral. They had the engine taken out for safety reasons.

PM: Beyond the idea that the dead need sustenance shelter and amusement in the afterlife, items such as umbrellas and rifles,  along with your suggestion that items of value could be used to bribe the authorities, suggest an existence that can be perilous and unfair.  If this is what awaits us after death, what expectation do we have of fairness or safety in life?

KT: I only found out about the bribery aspect of the paper money when I was doing the project, I found that fascinating. It really reflects how bribery is part and parcel of the Chinese society. Let’s face it though, I don’t think life is fair in this life either, and people are rightly voicing their frustrations at the moment. I think bribery happens all over the world in one form or another. Maybe it’s not a wad of cash anymore but it’s still around.

PM: A common translation of the Christian Bible quotes the son of God saying “In my Father’s house there are many mansions (sometimes described as ‘rooms’), I go to prepare a place for you…”  In this light there is a very real similarity to the idea of the dead needing a place of comfort and shelter after death, even if it is provided for them by God.  Additionally, there is the practice in Christianity and especially in Catholicism of praying, petitioning and begging for the favorable treatment of the dead which mirrors in some ways the idea that the living are responsible for the care of their dead in the afterlife, and that authorities in the Christian version of the after life may be susceptible to the influence of the living.  How do you think beliefs such as these and in the Chinese tradition effect the relationship we have with our dead?

KT: From a personal point of view (being a non-religions person) the idea of being able to provide for your loved ones in the afterlife is the perfect extension of the grieving process. It’s comforting for the living to know/think that they can still do something after they died. During my research, I met people who talked of their late husbands coming to their dreams years after they have passed and asking for specific items. It empowers them in some way.

PM: Out of all of the many items available for purchase, what led you to select the items you wanted to photograph?

KT: I initially picked a ranged of items for my grandmother, people are quite sensitive and superstition about the Joss items, so I timed it so that all the items were burned and offered on the anniversary of her death. But then I figured the project should paint a cross section picture of what’s available and how that might represent the society of China, so I went back to get items such as the machine gun and the ipod.

PM: The photographs in this series have been exhibited in galleries across the UK and the States, and are featured in a book, In Case it Rains in Heaven from Kehrer Verlang Publishers.  What kind of reactions have you received from the public and from other artists?

KT: The response to the work has been amazing. On the surface, the project shows a traditional practice that is relatively unknown outside of China. People can take the light-hearted side and funny elements with them. I have also had people crying at the exhibitions, given the space and time, people tend to start thinking about their departed loved ones and what they might need in their afterlife.

PM: Have your thoughts about this practice changed through being involved in this project?

KT: I initially considered it just a superstitious practice but I now believe it’s a great tradition which makes the grieving process just that little bit easier.

PM: What role do you think the arts have to play in helping us come to terms with our inevitable deaths and the overwhelming  unknowns of what lies beyond?

KT: I think making work about death, in whatever form, enables people to talk about it more openly and ease some of the fears and uncertainty around it. 

PM: Thank you for sharing your work and your thoughts with us, Mr. Tong.  For more of Mr Tong's work, visit his website the book is available through Amazon and other retailers.   All images used in this post are the copyrighted property of Kurt Tong.


originally posted Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Ching Ming: Tomb Sweeping Day

It is almost upon us again... With spring comes Ching Ming; Grave Sweeping Day in the Chinese cultural tradition. Usually falling in early April, Ching Ming is a time when families gather, often very early in the morning, and travel to the graves of their ancestors to honor and remember them.

Scrubbing an ancestor's grave stone on Ching Ming. Photo from the wonderful blog,

The Human Flower Project

The graves are swept and cleaned, incense and paper objects are burned, and food and flowers are offered to the dead. The belief is that the food and paper objects are transported and transformed to meet the continuing needs of departed loved ones.

"Grandfather, you've got mail!"

Objects such as this paper laptop computer are burned in this world and can be used by grandfather in the next.

Honoring and remembering our ancestors

In honoring our ancestors with gifts of food and flowers, we demonstrate that they are still important to us, just as we hope that our children will, in turn, remember us.

This paper lunch is probably more nutritious than the real thing, even after incineration

This custom may seem to be old fashioned superstition, and I'm sure that more than a few participants in these rituals have doubts about the burnt objects passing on to their ancestors. Similarly, some participants at Christian rituals may doubt the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Most, I'm sure, believe figuratively if not literally.

Ching Ming in Colma, outside San Francisco

While the efficacy of these rituals may be debatable, their importance and relevance is clear to see. Gathering to honor and remember ancestors is strengthening to the family unit, a positive step through grief, and a very precious opportunity to continue a relationship, whether grandmother actually gets any of the dumplings or not.

If we think that rituals like this are wasteful or naive, we should look again at how much we miss out by ending our conversations and expressions of love with our own departed.

Paper dental products for the dead

The loved ones we remember are people just like we are. Their form and needs may have changed to nothing, or something we cannot begin to comprehend, but for us, in our memories, they are still Ahmah, or Granny. They still like licorice, or noodles. They still have a sparkle in their eyes, and maybe talk funny when their dentures slip. These are the things we remember and celebrate and love. So it makes emotional sense for us to honor them in a way that reminds us of them. They may not need it, but we do.

Ching Ming and Filial Piety

Here are some wonderful and informative links for a greater understanding of Ching Ming. Enjoy!

SF Gate Article on Ching Ming

Ching Ming and Grief from This Precious Life Blog

A comprehensive article on Squidoo

A family shares their Ching Ming Experience

Insights and family humor regarding the Ching Ming Tradition!

Growing older, the importance of ritual is understood

Ching Ming, and some incredible graves

A great explanation of Ching Ming from The Human Flower Project

And here are a few links to related posts on this blog:

Funeral Rites in Chinatown

You Can Take it With You

San Zhr Ghost Town

Ghost Month

Floating Memories: A Ghost Month Tradition in America

Making Cemeteries Relevant: Part 1, Feng Shui in Minnesota

The gate to the Garden of Eternal Peace at Sunset Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN

Not that long ago, cemeteries were built in the centers of towns and cities. They were visited often by devoted relatives, and weekend picnickers. They were cared for by groundskeepers and relatives alike, and were valued for their park-like settings and interesting monuments. Today, the relevance of cemeteries to the lives of many Americans has decreased markedly. To many, they are seen as a waste of space, or worse, as a depressing reminder of our mortality.

Much of this is due to the denial of death that has taken over our culture. We pretend that death won’t happen, and when it does, we avoid viewing our loved ones and avoid dealing with the difficult reality of the situation by concentrating on celebrations of life and the happy times.

Feng Shui Consultant, Andrew Hong

For cemeteries, this is only half of the problem. In many cases, only token measures have been taken to address changing tastes and values. Cemeteries are seen by new generations as gloomy, depressing places that don’t reflect the spirit or values of their loved ones. People today want a setting that reminds them of life and happiness, and that reflects their culture and values, not row upon row of uniform markers or the gothic tragedies of elaborate monuments. To see how uncomfortable even the people who bury in cemeteries are with the prevailing mood of the places, just look at the increasing harvest of plastic doo-dads and gew-gaws that cemeteries must harvest from their tidy rows every spring, or the bold modern monuments that look like a granite T-shirt, and feature everything from engraved portraits to farm scenes, to race cars. Look at the memorials people make on the highway for those who die in car accidents. They are full of teddy bears and flags and sparkly pin-wheels. Many skip the cemetery altogether and scatter ashes in mountain lakes or other vacation spots. They have often been told by their loved ones to keep them away from the gloomy cemetery. They want to rest in a place that they would feel comfortable and full of life.

The families who scatter miss out on having a permanent spot to visit, however. Sometimes the mountain path becomes a strip mall, or the spot on the river cannot be found again after old trees fall and new ones grow. As a person who values cemeteries and recognizes the need for permanent memorialization, I’m pleased to say that there are some innovators out there who are making cemeteries relevant to the needs and values of today’s consumers. In this first installment on Cemetery Innovators, the new Chinese section at Sunset Cemetery in Minneapolis is highlighted. The cemetery has used the ancient principles of Feng Shui to make a new section appealing to the area's growing Asian demographic. Chinese cemeteries are certainly nothing new, but they are new to the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. The driving concepts behind the creation of this section apply to any cemetery innovation; one size no longer fits all, find a growing segment of your population, and create an area that appeals to their values.

The Chinese Cemetery in Victoria, BC, was also designed in accordance with the principles of Feng Shui

Named the Garden of Eternal Peace, the new section at Sunset Cemetery was the brainchild of Funeral Director, Scot Werkmeister, and designed with the help of Feng Shui expert, Andrew Hong. Following is an excerpt from today’s Minnesota Public Radio story about the Garden of Eternal Peace by Laura Yuen.

The Garden of Eternal Peace is in some ways unremarkable. Not even an acre large, the site's entrance is marked by a simple gate made of two wooden pillars and a modest roof. But this land is slightly higher than the rest of the cemetery, making it an ideal burial spot for followers of feng shui. Consultant Andrew Hong says the space offers a commanding location for both the living and the dead. "You're on higher ground. So imagine the people buried -- they will feel very secure and safe." Safe, Hong says with a smile, from evil spirits. He's placed every object carefully, from the entry gate to a foot bridge, which he says gives negative energy a way out of the burial site.

Sunset Cemetery officials say the garden is the first in the Twin Cities to be designed according to these ancient principles. But Asian families in Minnesota already practice feng shui when scouting for areas across the state for the perfect burial spot. Many Hmong and Vietnamese families have been known to favor a certain Maplewood cemetery because it's surrounded by hills -- the better to protect the deceased.

Offerings at a Chinese Monument

It may sound strange to segregate the dead by building ethnic "neighborhoods" right into cemeteries, but people in the industry say it's no different than creating special sections for Masons or war veterans. "It's easy for the dead," Hong said. "They can communicate with each other. They don't have to travel. Sometimes it's all in our manmade imagination. But you cannot fight tradition. If tradition believes in that, we better believe in it, too."

Inside the cemetery offices, Scot Werkmeister, a funeral director who oversees Sunset Cemetery and several others owned by Dignity Memorial, flips through a catalog of custom granite markers that Sunset has begun to offer. They're meant to appeal to Asian consumers. Some of the headstones come in the shape of little pagodas. Most are upright, and come with a mantle that where offerings of incense or bowls of food can rest.

Werkmeister says he wanted to build the garden at Sunset after a trip to California, where cemeteries have developed special areas where Asian families could show their heritage and traditions.

For the full article, visit Minnesota Public Radio

Ghost Month

In April I posted a story about a housing development in Taiwan that was abandoned because ghosts are thought to inhabit it.  Recently, I found this related video about Ghost month as it is observed in Taiwan.  Ghost month is in August, but I couldn't wait 'til then to post this video.

What I find most interesting is the level of involvement that the people in this video have with their dead and with the dead in general.  The belief that the spirits of the dead regularly inhabit the same world that we do can make a big difference in how we look at death and how we lead our lives.