Alliance for Action (AfA) on Norms for Joss Paper Burning: Update on Lunar New Year Public Education Campaign

Feb 15, 2023


Alliance for Action (AfA) on Norms for Joss Paper Burning

Update on Lunar New Year Public Education Campaign

            The Alliance for Action (AfA) on Norms for Joss Paper Burning launched its Lunar New Year Public Education Campaign from 16 Jan 2023 to 5 Feb 2023. This is the AfA’s second public education campaign following its inaugural campaign during the Seventh Lunar Month last year.

2          The campaign’s key messages are as follows:

  1. 新年到了万象更新，齐心协力确保环境更清新。

    As we usher in the Lunar New Year, let’s accumulate positive merits by being considerate to our neighbourhood and the environment.

  2. 接送神明拜天公，虔诚祭祀与了解初衷。 请不要在公共走廊焚烧金纸。

    There is no need to burn joss paper along common corridors for your prayers to be received.

  3. 购买大型纸制祭品前，请查看焚烧桶的尺寸是否容纳得下。祭祀后，请清理香烛祭品， 保持环境清洁。

    Ensure that offerings fit into the joss paper burners provided by Town Councils before purchasing them. Please clear up your offerings after your prayers.

  4. 不妨考虑到邻近庙宇进行祭祀活动。

Consider doing new year prayer rituals in temples instead of residential estates.

3          The PE messages were circulated via (i) hardcopy posters displayed at 17 Town Councils’ noticeboards and religious goods shops affiliated with the Singapore Religious Goods Merchants Association (SRGMA); (ii) videos displayed at Digital Display Panels of HDB estates and broadcasted via (iii) radio ads on Capital 95.8FM and Love 97.2FM.

   

4          The AfA also enlisted the support of the SRGMA’s affiliated religious goods merchants to raise awareness of the PE messages as well as to educate customers on the dimensions of their respective Town Council’s joss paper burner openings. This way, devotees would be able to make a more informed decision at their point-of-purchase. In addition, AfA members also helped to spread the PE messages via their own social media channels.

5          According to feedback data provided by the Municipal Services Office (MSO), the volume of resident feedback received by Town Councils and government agencies was reduced this year. Total feedback volume on joss paper burning fell by 14%, from 886 cases in 2022 to 761 cases in 2023.


6          Indiscriminate burning (e.g. burning along corridors, on drain gratings, on the floor in public spaces) typically occurs during the 8th/9th day of the Lunar New Year, starting at 11pm on the 8th day, to coincide with the Jade Emperor’s Birthday, i.e. 拜天公). This year, the peak at the 8th/9th day (280 cases) is lower than that of 2021 and 2022’s peak (~380 cases).

7          Despite the encouraging results of the Lunar New Year campaign, the AfA recognises the inconveniences caused by indiscriminate burning and will continue to remind and educate the Chinese community on responsible burning practices.  Its next campaign will be rolled out closer to the Seventh Lunar Month period.

8           Mr Kua Soon Khe, Co-Lead of the AfA, said: “To change entrenched customary practices, we need sustained public education campaigns and timely reminders, more importantly, we also need to create greater appreciation of the significance of each festive event.

行动联盟联合主席柯孙科先生表示：“移风易俗需要持恒的宣导和及时的提醒，更重要的是，让人们深一层了解传统节日的内涵。”

9          Senior Minister of State for National Development, Ms Sim Ann, in her capacity as AfA Adviser, said: “The AfA has followed up on its early win during last year’s Lunar Seventh Month public education campaign with another successful effort to manage the burning of joss paper and related products during the Lunar New Year. This proves that a community-led effort to change social norms and mindsets can be effective if we do it right. Such ground-up solutioning is very much in the spirit of ForwardSG.”

国家发展部高级政务部长沈颖女士表示：“焚烧冥纸规范行动联盟在去年农历七月打响第一炮，紧接着在兔年来临时推出有关拜天公的公众教育活动，效果显著，令人鼓舞。感谢焚烧冥纸规范行动联盟成员的用心与付出，以接地气的方式，鼓励公众在祭祀、拜天公时做一些调整，既不影响习俗的传承，又可以兼顾环保、睦邻。这也体现了‘新加坡携手前进’运动的精神。”

10        Formed in July 2022, the Alliance for Action (AfA) on Norms for Joss Paper Burning is a cross-sector collaboration involving stakeholders from community, businesses, and government with the goal of forging a consensus within the Chinese community on desired norms for the traditional custom of joss paper burning. 

 

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Alliance for Action (AfA) on Norms for Joss Paper Burning

焚烧冥纸规范行动联盟

15 Feb 2023