Paper ingots, a unique form of coin, are an important element in traditional Chinese culture. Its origins can be traced back to ancient sacrificial and funeral rituals, and it is a unique expression of people's respect and remembrance for their ancestors.
In traditional Chinese culture, ancestor worship and honoring elders are regarded as extremely important moral concepts. Burning paper money is a way for people to express their respect and nostalgia for their ancestors.
Paper ingots are not only a simple underworld coin, but also represent the wealth and status of the deceased in the underworld, and it is also the embodiment of the remembrance and respect of the living for the deceased. In ancient times, it was believed that the deceased would enter the underworld after their death and still need material things such as gold and silver treasures to live.
Therefore, burning paper money is regarded as providing the deceased with the gold, silver, treasures, and daily necessities they need in the underworld to ensure that they can live a happy and comfortable life in the underworld.
The shape and material of the paper ingots are unique. Usually rectangular or trapezoidal in shape, this shape is seen as a symbol of wealth and status. It is printed with the words "Fortune and Treasure", "Gold and Silver Treasure", etc., implying the gathering of wealth and the arrival of wealth. In addition, the production of paper ingots is also very particular, generally made of gold paper or silver paper, symbolizing the value and dignity of wealth. 
During traditional festivals such as Qingming Festival and Zhongyuan Festival, people will put paper ingots on the graves of their ancestors or burn paper money for burning. During the burning, people will also recite some blessing words, such as "bless the safety of the descendants" and "attract wealth and treasure" to express respect for the ancestors and good wishes for the future life. 
However, with the development of the times, the Xi of burning paper ingots in modern society has gradually decreased. This is mainly based on the following reasons:1Environmental protection factors: With the improvement of environmental awareness, people pay more and more attention to environmental protection, and reducing the incineration of paper ingots can reduce air pollution and fire risks, in line with the concept of environmental protection. 2.Cultural change: With the development of society and cultural changes, people's ideas about sacrifice and funeral are also changing. Modern people pay more attention to rational, civilized and simple sacrificial methods, and no longer rely on traditional items such as burning paper ingots to express respect and nostalgia. 3.Legal restrictions: Some places have introduced laws and regulations prohibiting the burning of items such as paper money in public places or urban areas to reduce the risk of fire and air pollution. 
The folding method of gold ingots is as follows:1Take a piece of gold leaf paper and fold it along the center line of the short side so that the gold leaf paper is on the outside to get a rectangular piece of paper. 2.Fold one side of the rectangle upwards into a triangle, and the other one side folds down at a right angle to form a triangle to obtain a quadrilateral paper. 3.The midpoint line of the upper and lower sides of the quadrilateral paper is used as a crease, and it is folded outward into a "W" shaped paper. 4.The first corner of the bottom edge of the "W" shaped paper is folded on the other side of the angular bisector, and the paper is pressed under the triangular paper, and the other side is folded in the same way and pressed under the triangular paper. 5.Stretch the origami, fold the middle inward, stretch the two corners, cut into an arc with scissors, and a ingots will be folded. 
As a part of traditional Chinese culture, paper ingots carry rich historical and cultural connotations. It is not only a way to pay homage during the rituals, but also a way to remember the ancestors and wish for a better life in the future. However, with the progress of society and cultural changes, this traditional Xi is gradually fading. I hope that in the future, people can find a more environmentally friendly and civilized way to express their respect and nostalgia for their ancestors.
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