000-190-004-218-C © National Museums Scotland |
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Bank of Hell 50,000,000 dollar banknotes, from set of funerary offerings
These Bank of Hell notes, bought from a funerary goods supplier in Singapore, are from a boxed set of paper and cardboard offerings for a man. The offerings represent symbolic possessions for the afterlife, including various currency forms for bribes.
These paper banknotes are all 50,000,000 dollar notes, although they come in three sizes. They bear a passing resemblance to real banknotes, but the person represented on them is one of the Judges of Hell.
These symbolic possessions are burned in a night-time Daoist funerary ceremony, several weeks after the deceased's cremation. It is a widespread contemporary tradition in south-east Asia. The cardboard items are burned to ensure a comfortable afterlife.
Record details
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Online ID: |
000-190-004-218-C |
Image Rights Holder: |
National Museums Scotland |
Project: |
0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project |
Ref: |
National Museums Scotland K.1999.1241 |
Date: |
1999 1999 1999 1999 1999 1999
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Material: |
Paper; ink, red, green and black; printed. Inscription: Hell Bank Note Paper; ink, red, green and black; printed. Inscription: Hell Bank Note Paper; ink, red, green and black; printed. Inscription: Hell Bank Note Paper; ink, red, green and black; printed. Inscription: Hell Bank Note Paper; ink, red, green and black; printed. Inscription: Hell Bank Note Paper; ink, red, green and black; printed. Inscription: Hell Bank Note
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Dimensions: |
88 mm L x 190 mm W 88 mm L x 190 mm W 88 mm L x 190 mm W 88 mm L x 190 mm W 88 mm L x 190 mm W 88 mm L x 190 mm W
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What: |
Bank note Bank note Bank note Bank note Bank note Bank note
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Subject: |
Paper offering Paper offering Paper offering Paper offering Paper offering Paper offering
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Who: |
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Where: |
Singapore Singapore Singapore Singapore Singapore Singapore
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Event: |
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Description: |
"Hell Bank note" of paper, printed in red, green and black ink, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999 "Hell Bank note" of paper, printed in red, green and black ink, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999 "Hell Bank note" of paper, printed in red, green and black ink, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999 "Hell Bank note" of paper, printed in red, green and black ink, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999 "Hell Bank note" of paper, printed in red, green and black ink, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999 "Hell Bank note" of paper, printed in red, green and black ink, part of paper offerings for a man, which would be burnt at the graveside as an offering for ancestors: Singapore, 1999
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