Because of the limited land supply, finding affordable housing is an enormous challenge for most of the Hong Kong people and even for the dead. To make matter worse, the ageing population rises the number of death and the demand for cremation and columbaria. According to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s statistic (2013), “the number of cremations is expected to increase from 38000 in 2010 to 47300 in 2020” (p.1). As a result, it leads to an acute shortage of columbaria. In order to satisfy the public demand for columbaria, it is vital for the Hong Kong government to increase the supply of columbarium facilities and promote the sustainable way of handling cremains. To achieve this objective, there are three solutions, including the district-based columbarium development scheme, formulating licensing scheme and promoting the scattering of cremains at sea or in Gardens of Remembrance.
The district-based columbarium development scheme aims at increasing the supply of columbaria by building columbaria facilities in all 18 districts. As Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (2013) claims, “the Government is pursuing the 24 potential sites for columbarium development identified across the territory in each of the 18 districts” (p.2). If the government can expand the columbarium facilities across the 18 districts, it is clear that this can increase the supply of columbaria. However, the government may need to face a strong disagreement among the general public. For the traditional Chinese people, the columbarium facilities carry a negative impact on feng shui and provoke a disturbance to the neighboring residents. Based on the Chinese tradition, people burn paper offerings and joss sticks during grave sweeping. This wi...
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...ng SAR. Development Bureau. (30 September 2013). Information on Private Columbaria: Part A and Part B. Hong Kong: Author. Retrieved November 9, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://www.devb.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_756/Columbarium_List_20120130.pdf
Hong Kong SAR. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. (8 January 2013). Usage and Promotion of Gardens of Remembrance, Scattering Cremains at Sea and Internet Memorial Service. Hong Kong: Author. Retrieved November 9, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr12-13/english/panels/fseh/papers/fe0108cb2-415-5-e.pdf
Hong Kong SAR. Food and Health Bureau. (December 2011). Public Consultation on Licensing Scheme for Private Columbaria. Hong Kong: Author. Retrieved November 9, 2013 from the World Wide Web: http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/government/publication/consultation/docs/2220/Private_Columbaria.pdf
The Brazilian acai berry has been a food staple for low income families for years and a cultural symbol for generations. This berry is vital in Brazil, where it is farmed and, until recently had a relatively small market. However, after an Oprah interview the demand for acai has become an international affair. The rising demand has created a free market; however the once inexpensive food staple has become too expensive for the low income families. This report will analyse the current markets advantages and disadvantages, followed by two possible government intervention models. The examined interventions will be export tariff and price ceiling.
Japantown, in San Francisco, is an ethnic enclave to the Japanese who migrated to the US and it is a space created by themselves for themselves to practice their old traditions and remind them of home. The Kinokuniya building in Japantown is home to many generations of Japanese and they would often celebrate traditional festivals and more than often there are many subculture groups within the Japanese here in San Francisco. One subculture that is evident is the Ikebana group located in Japancenter where they display flower arrangements called Ikebana. Being an outsider, the need to observe and research is very important to understand this art form flourishing in San Francisco. The empirical evidences I have gathered allowed me to dwell deeper into the history of Ikebana and the Ikebana group as well as the importance of this group to its fellow members.
“In most human society's death is an extremely important cultural and social phenomenon, sometimes more important than birth” (Ohnuki-Tierney, Angrosino, & Daar et al. 1994). In the United States of America, when a body dies it is cherished, mourned over, and given respect by the ones that knew the person. It is sent to the morgue and from there the family decides how the body should be buried or cremated based on...
As the birds are singing their sweet melody, the terrain of Arlington National Cemetery is filled with sadness. Although the brilliant rays of sun are shinning through the thick colossal treetops, there is a chill in the air. While watching the mourners, the feeling of their sorrows is all too real.
While they have been recently popping up throughout the Western world, they do demonstrate cultural norms through the materials left behind at the memorial site; often times, they replicate structures similar to ones at old gravesites, RIP, messages on tombstones and recitals like those at traditional funerals. In this sense traditional represents a memorial and funeral in a religious setting. These new memorials often times do not find meaning in religious settings after a sudden and tragic death has occurred. Proxemics in this case is displayed by the surviving families feeling that their loved ones death spot belongs to them; identity is constructed through the items left behind. To the ones left behind, they do not want the death to go unnoticed and want to connect to the last place a loved one was alive. They feel empowered to do so through the tragic event that has occurred there. After such tragedy has happened, a common public place spaces become a private place of tribute. Whether is it through pictures, personal messages or a cross, the items left behind reflect how the deceased influenced his or her surviving friends and family. The difference becomes more evident when it done through a civil body ...
The Hejia Village Hoard (found near Chang’an) includes vessels with bases in the Sassanian style, a small bowl with lions, ribbon-carrying birds, and pearls (Iranian motifs), a silver cup with a shape suggesting a Sogdian vessel and Western faces, a cup with an eight-lobed shape, a pearl border, and alternating hunters on horseback (Sassanian) and Chinese women with instruments. Some of these vessels are believed to be foreign-made while other are believed to have been made in China, influenced by foreign craftsmen. 1
Suter, Keith. “Roadside Memorials: Sacred Places in a Secular Era.” Contemporary Review 292.1692 (Spring 2010): 51+. Psychology Collection. EBSCO: Academic Onefile. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.
Introduction: The situation of Chiquita Brands International is serious. Bananas, the main source of revenue from Chiquita, cause an ethically questionable situation. Bananas are a very popular food in Europe and the United States because they are inexpensive and convenient. Especially the price of the fruit can only be provided because the bananas are grown in large plantations along the Equator. These large plantations cause social and environmental problems.
Tibetan Buddhists perform sky burials in the mountains of Tibet signifying the beginning of a new life for the deceased who is being “buried”. The sky burial is a ritual that is practiced only by Tibetan Buddhists and is different from many other rituals from around the world. Throughout history, the Tibetan sky burial has been regarded as a unique practice in regards to its meaning, the process, and the reasons behind the practicing of the ritual.
According to the textbook, memorial services are becoming increasingly popular in many Protestant churches. This coincides with my family’s faith; we belong to a local Presbyterian church. The memorial will take place at The West Metro Chapel, part of the cremation package through Newcomer Funeral Homes and Crematory. This will reduce the costs significantly, consolidating the facility rental fee to only $675. Considering their will be no open casket or closed casket display the cremation will take place shortly after death, making the date of the service more flexible ensuring everyone who wants to attend the service can make it. Cremating the body will also be universally ideal for any condition the body is in from the cause of
According to Leming and Dickinson, Hindus believe that cremation is “an act of sacrifice” because they are offering their bodies to God. The body is usually cremated on the bank of a sacred river. The book, Understanding dying, death, and bereavement offers an “invocation” that would be close to what a priest would recite, “Fire, you were lighted by him, so may he be lighted from you, that he may gain the regions of celestial bliss. May this offering prove auspicious.” Leming and Dickinson (2011) state that between 10-31 days post cremation, a feast (shraddha) is shared among mourners and priests.
The word Feng Shui (fung shway) literally means wind and water in Chinese. These major energy sources underlie the belief that environmental factors influence people greatly and this is the basis of Feng Shui. The bagua chart indicates how elements, directions and aspects of life can be of influence. There is a wealth of information on the subject from practitioners and journalists that prove the benefits of Feng Shui. Disbelievers that began to practice it brought great prosperity and luck into their lives leading them to become advocates of the practice. Therefore, it stands to reason that though there is a counter argument against the argument that Feng Shui is hugely beneficial; it is disproven by successful business people, converts and journalists. Business tycoons, financial institutions, architects, offices and homeowners use Feng Shui principles. Many highly successful and intelligent people spend time and money incorporating this ancient art, and yet there are the skeptics that attempt to prove it to be a waste of time. Feng Shui is now a global phenomenon it brings wealth and well-being, yet it is surrounded with skepticism; even the skeptics eventually change when they are deluged with its benefits.
Although this extremely close connection of the individual with nature, the basic principle of Japanese gardens, has remained the constant throughout its history, the ways in which this principle has come to be expressed has undergone many great changes. Perhaps the most notable occurred in the very distinct periods in Japanese history that popularized unique forms of garden style—Heian (781-1185), and the Kamakura (1186-1393). Resulting from these two golden ages of Japanese history came the stroll garden from the former period and the Zen garden from the later. As we shall see, the composition of these gardens where remarkably effected by the norms of architecture and the ideals of popular religion in these eras. Therefor, in understanding each garden style in its context, it essential to also take into account the social, historical, and theological elements as well as the main stylist differences.
But unfortunately, many of these festivals are posing a serious threat to environment. The onset of making these idols from non-biodegradable materials has contributed significantly towards this threat and has not only choked the rivers but also put aquatic life at danger. Besides, piles of holy trivia comprising idols of God/Goddesses, tones of rotting flowers, polythene
8048) and NETFORCE (Executive Order No. 213) are helpful and played a significant role in the production of coconut and coconut oil in the Philippines. The increase in the manufacture gives the coconut farmers more income and giving them a real life. The Philippines as an agricultural country, Filipino coconut farmers benefited a lot from the increase of coconut production because it gave them more income and sustainable job for a better future. Those acts affect a lot on the coconut oil industry because it rehabilitates the coconut farms and it preserves the coconut trees making it more productive. The coconut oil industry became progressive because of the interventions made by the government. The Coconut Preservation Act does not only preserve the coconut trees, but it also keeps the nature for future use. The increase in the production of coconut also enhances the consumption of it which has a good effect on humans and nature. The coconut oil industry in the Philippines became progressive because of the Coconut Preservation Act of 1995 which aims to protect the trees and its part, and provide rehabilitation of coconut farms for better production. The progress of one sector of the country's economy depends on the interventions made by its government and sustainable methods for long-term use. The responses made also affects the style of living of Filipino families particularly those