The Chinese New Year fell on 12 February 2002, but the preparations were evident days in advance. Everyone took special pains to clean up and decorate their spirit houses. The ritual shops were full of new and strange items: paper shirts, cardboard toasters and blenders, an amazing array of red and gold papers and paperwork useful in Hell including money and passports. These items were burnt in metal bins on the street, sent to the deceased in the smoke.

the spirit altar in our local market

onwards into the new year