and I just saw this in Singapore, a hostel for the dead.
So, they got these workmen to make these enormous basically a hotel for
the dead, and it was, I think it was about eight feet wide, and maybe six feet tall.
And it was a completely ela, if you could think of
the most elaborate paper Dolls' house, that was what it was like.
The in, internal structure is made of reeds,
so that it can be burned.
And so when you see the you may
see them making these miniature buildings with scaffolding,
and then they'll put paper on top of it, and it's all very bright, very detailed.
And in through the windows, they put paper servants, and there are small pa,
there was a paper dining table, paper chairs, eh, paper shoes for the dead.
Flowers you know ornaments, so it is as you know
mentioned it is at the same time it is weird.
It is attractive in the way that
children's toys are attractive.
Like if you had kids and they went by they would
be completely fascinated by this entire miniature world of the dead.
And at the same time it is repulsive because it is taboo.
It is for the dead, and you know as I, I mentioned Chinese are very superstitious.
Things to do with death am not good.
So, to me I always, perhaps the book in some ways reflects my childhood feelings
about these things, which look like toys and are so colorful.
And yet you are told, you must not touch it.
You must
[SOUND]
not play with it. It is for the spirits.
And, actually, we also see lots of other creepy things.
For example >>
[COUGH]
>> You often see a feast for the dead during the time
of the hungry ghost, they'll lay out an entire, in the community.
>>
[COUGH]
>> Centers and things like that, they'll have an entire banquet table.
It'll be all laid out.
But, please don't ever seat there
[LAUGH]
[INAUDIBLE]
like don't take a seat at that table, it's for the dead.
They'll make things like cars, like life sized or half life sized
paper cars, and usually Mercedes Benz, you know, the dead like luxury goods.
[LAUGH]
So and I had a, a friend, who
said that when her grandmother died, they actually burned
because she liked shopping, they burned helicopter pad
for her, and a helicopter, and a paper Ferrari.
So, you see, it's a
[LAUGH],
it's an attempt to provide for people.
And it is this juxaibish, juxtaposition of you know like things that people covet.
Luxury goods, together with the idea that it is, taboo.
It is for the dead.
It's is this weird juxtaposition that I think I was getting at in the book.
and it is at the same time very theatrical.
Very artificial because it does feel like a performance.