Fire Fire is the second of the Five Elements and by its powerful attribute Buddhist deities have halos of fire surrounding them. It is emblematic of danger, speed, anger, ferocity, and lust. Effigies of colored paper are burned by the grave-side with the hope of the assistance in entering the spirit-world. A bride is lifted over burning coal to facilitate child-birth; and lanterns are a significant token in the social and spiritual life of the Chinese people. There are a great variety of lanterns with a small flame: cubical, circular, square, thin or oblong, etc. Some have Chinese characters with the motif of happiness, longevity, gladness.Firecrackers Firecrackers are symbols for the New Year. They are set off on New Year’s Day to scare off bad luck from the old year and usher in peace and blessings for the year to come. Originally, bamboo was lit on fire to make the snapping and cracking noises that were believed to ward off negative spirits. |