Perhaps appropriate as we celebrate the demise of the Year 2008, an older post that never saw the light of day:
Around Shanghai one will often come upon chalk circles on the ground on the street, or inside a community. Often there will be some ashes in the circle of a uniform, vaguely-yellow color. I would like to explain what I understand about this cultural pattern.
In Shanghai, many people have an interesting ritual when family members die. The tradition is to burn some articles of the decedent’s clothing, along with some fake money, and perhaps other things. This is usually done in a common, shallow metal bowl, which is placed inside the circle and then set on fire. I don’t know the precise contents of the bowl, but so far I got clothing and money, and because of the uniform color of the ash, which I have seen hundreds of times, I suspect a fair amount of standardization of the objects involved.
The tradition is Buddhist I would assume (don’t let anyone tell you Shanghai does not have strong Buddhist roots), but doubtless is seen today as an agnostic cultural tradition.
Often the circle is closed, but sometimes there is a defined exit point, and I have seen most with no name but a few with the name of the decedent placed inside the circle. Another part of the ritual is to pin a piece of black cloth to the sleeve of your jacket or shirt to symbolize mourning. I never knew how long it should be worn, and recently I asked some coworkers and was told 49 days, in other words, 7 x 7. But I am sure there are others with different traditions. If you walk around Shanghai you will certainly see some people with the black cloth pinned to their upper sleeve as well as the circles on the ground. You might even see the ritual of the burning. I say ritual but from what I have seen it is not very formal. No chanting or praying or anything.
Don’t step in the circles! That is bad luck. No one ever told me that, I just figure it goes with the territory.
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