To celebrate the Vu Lan and the Amnesty of Unquiet Spirits, Hanoians flock to buy all kinds of votive offerings from paper villas to Ipads to burn for the dead.
Money to burn on traditional festivals
The Vu Lan and the Amnesty of Unquiet Spirits are celebrated on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month, the month devoted the spirits of the dead. The Vu Lan is more popular in the southern region and is traditionally considered an important event in praise of motherly love. However, in the northern region, the 15th night of the seventh lunar month is the day when wandering souls with no relatives in the human world ask for pardon and are offered a path to heaven.
Offerings go high tech
Hang Ma and Luong Van Can streets specialise in these votive offerings and are receiving customers in droves at this time of year.
This year, asides from traditional offerings such as paper clothes, people particularly interested in buying hi-tech gadgets offerings. Some people even spend tens of millions of VND for their preparation despite the economic slump.
At Dong Xuan Market, on Hang Ma Street, luxury cars, Iphone and homes even accompanied by land-use contracts for the dead are attract many customers and are sold at high prices.
Pham Van Long, the owner of one of these offerings shops said, "Even though the economic climate is not so good, people will pay high prices for these votive offerings."
A paper house is often sold between VND150-200,000 (USD7.2-9.6), while a luxury villa could be sold from anywhere between VND300-500,000. Cars to be burnt are also high-priced commodities.
Toan, the owner of another shop on Hang Ma Street sells all types of wares for the dead, including luxury motorbikes and even fake mirrors. He said that this year people prefer luxurious homes and high-tech gadgets for their ancestors.
According to Toan a complete package of a house, car, full appliances and clothes would cost from VND600-700,000. "For the more high-end things people must book in advance," he said.
Shops on Hang Ma Street
High spending despite economic slump
Dang Ngoc Bich, a local resident of Dong Da District shared, "My mother-in-law is quite superstitious. She saves her money when it comes to daily spending, but this year she gave me VND4 million to buy offerings for dead relatives, saying, 'buy brand-name items.'"
Although Lan, a Hanoian, did not share the same beliefs, she bought a complete package for her deceased mother and father-in-law. She also said that many of her co-workers did the same.
Toan, a shop owner added that, "There is one family on Cau Dien that I heard spent VND12 million on these kinds of offerings. But in fact, even though I have a pretty good salary, I regret the money spent on this kind of thing."
