Tainan City Faces Paper Money Incineration Backlog Amid Capacity Shortage

Tainan City's policy of centralizing the burning of "paper money" for ancestral offerings is facing significant challenges due to a severe lack of incineration capacity. City Councilor Lin Yan-zhu voiced strong criticism, reporting that offerings are piling up to the ceiling in designated areas, with some even accumulating outdoors.

Lin Yan-zhu presented footage showing stacks of paper money, some deformed by pressure and covered in cobwebs, awaiting incineration. She highlighted that the backlog includes offerings from major festivals like Lunar New Year and Qingming Festival, and that the accumulated amount from the past six months has yet to be fully processed. The situation is particularly concerning as the Ghost Festival approaches, leaving descendants unable to convey their reverence to ancestors and deities in a timely manner.

The city's current incineration facilities, including the specialized "Jing Yuan Man" furnaces, operate 24 hours a day but can only process about 14 tons daily. This capacity is insufficient to handle the volume, with the Qingming Festival alone creating a backlog that requires over two months to clear. Councilor Lin pointed out that the offerings for gods, ancestors, and spirits are all mixed together, further complicating the process and diminishing the spiritual significance for believers.

In response to the criticism, Vice Mayor Jiang Lin-huang acknowledged the issue and stated that the city will add more environmental incinerators to the Nanshan Cemetery's funeral service zone to expand capacity. This move aims to alleviate the backlog and ensure that the paper money offerings can be processed more efficiently.

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Ancestors are not receiving their paper money in dreams because the burning capacity is insufficient and cannot be burned within half a year.