In my back is a box that holds the names of more distant relatives. I represent ancestral veneration , the oldest form of Chinese religion. The soul that returns to the home lives in me, an ancestral tablet. To honor ancestors, the Chinese make offerings in front of me. Rituals such as burning money and incense are common.
People also place offerings of food and wine in front of an ancestral tablet.
These traditions give the Chinese family a sense of peace, continuity, and belonging. In many Chinese families there is no end. In China, the concept of duty is central to many aspects of their culture. Part of this duty is a moral responsibility to care for one's elders and the Chinese treat this duty very seriously. If the spirits are not revered , they are believed to bring evil to their living relatives.