AT times, the afterlife seems much more pleasant than what we experience in our daily lives.

The young ones get laptops and mobile phones, those who loved life on the fast lane would get the latest make of cars, and the vain would be dressed in the latest fashion.

But all these items are of course made from paper, and would be offered to those who had passed on in life during the Cheng Beng festival, which falls on April 5 this year.

Cheng Beng, also known as Qing Ming, is the Chinese All Souls Day.

On this day, one would make offerings and pray to one's ancestors and spruce or clean up their tombs.

Replicas of day-to-day and luxury items, such as clothes, footwear, cars, refrigerators, mobile phones, whole roast pigs, gift hampers containing various ‘herbs’, designer apparel, bungalow homes and even cigarettes, beer and liquor are offered.

The “goodies” are burnt in front of the headstone so that their loved ones on “the other side” will receive them.

Lim See Piew has been selling such products at his shop in Batu Pahat for more than 10 years, and business is brisk as Cheng Beng approaches.

“Sales will go up by 150% every time Cheng Beng comes around. But it is only once a year, so it is not easy to keep the business going,” he said, adding that there were other occasions when people buy paper accessories but not in bulk.

Despite having to contend with a small market, Lim has done well, with his shop now spans four shop lots.

Customers can find a wide variety of paper products.

“Those who died young are usually offered “electronic products” such as mobile phones, hi-fi sets and laptops.

“We even have assorted dim sum for those who love to eat, in addition to roast pigs,” he said.

In Johor Baru, Tan Lee Meng, 67, has been selling the paper accessories since he completed his education.

“It is a family business started by my father, so I think the shop is almost 100 years old.

“During Cheng Beng, we can double our sales. But the profits are used to even out quieter times when sales are not as good,” he said.

The article above was found on Google and was published originally on thestar online

Photos by ABDUL RAHMAN EMBONG and TEH ENG HOCK