清明臨近 哈爾濱爲改善空氣質量禁燒冥幣

Joss paper, also known as ghost money, is lit ablaze during funerals and other ceremonies, and is intended to symbolize currency for the deceased person in the afterlife.

紙錢，也稱冥幣，是葬禮和其他儀式上焚燒的一種紙張，用來代表逝者在極樂世界使用的貨幣。

The government of Harbin, Heilongjiang, said it is a “feudal superstition”.

黑龍江省哈爾濱市政府近日表示，焚燒紙錢是一種"封建迷信"。

In a statement on its website, the government banned the burning, production and selling of joss paper for the 9.6 million people who live in the city and surrounding rural areas.

哈爾濱市政府在其官網發佈聲明，禁止居住在市區及周邊農村地區的960萬居民焚燒、生產和銷售紙錢。

The ban will "eradicate bad funeral practices, advocate civilized ancestor worship, and purify the urban environment," the statement said.

聲明稱，該禁令將"革除喪葬陋習、倡導文明祭祖、淨化城市環境"。

Any individuals caught burning joss paper will receive fines of at least 200 yuan, and those found producing or selling the paper will be fined 500 yuan or more.

任何被發現焚燒紙錢的個人將被處以至少200元的罰款，生產或銷售紙錢將被處以至少500元的罰款。

The government should control rather than ban the burning of joss paper, said Tian Zhaoyuan, deputy dean of the School of Social Development at East China Normal University, also in Shanghai.

上海華東師範大學社會發展學院副院長田兆元稱，政府應該控制而不是禁止焚燒紙錢。

The ban comes ahead of the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Festival holiday, when many Chinese visit the graves of their forbears and perform rituals such as burning joss paper.

禁令在傳統清明節假期前出臺，許多中國人會在此期間拜謁祖先的墓地，並進行燒紙錢等儀式。