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Non-Stops Leaving Daily

The Tomb Sweeping Festival is an old Chinese tradition when descendants clean ancestors’ graves, and send comfort to them by burning paper copies of luxury items and currency, known as “Hell money.” The items are sent to the right ancestor by writing their name and birth date on them. But police in Johor, Malaysia, are investigating fake airline tickets made to look like real Malaysia Airlines ticket stock. “The report was lodged to ascertain if the products were intentionally targeted to insult the national carrier,” a Johor police spokesman said. The “tickets to Hell” included the airline’s logo, and sold for 1 ringgit (US$0.30) per stack, including a “Hell Passport” and visa. (RC/AFP) ...That’s how to tell the difference between Heaven and Hell: Hell requires paperwork.
Author’s Note: An example of “Hell Money” (front and back), courtesy of reader Ty in Rhode Island:

Hell Money, front
Hell Money, rear

Original Publication Date: 21 April 2002
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 8.

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