The ban seeks to prevent people from burning votive paper in public.

Traditionally, Tet Ong Cong, Ong Tao (Kitchen Gods Day), which falls onthe 23rd day of the 12th month in the Lunar Year (which is on Jan.26) isa tradition that bids farewell and thanks those Gods for blessing one'sfamily during the last year. Families prepare a tray of fruits, votivepapers and paper carps that are given as an offering for the Gods'journey. These days, people tend to burn fancier items, including papercars.

Phuc Am and Duyen Truong villages in suburbanHanoi are known as the "votive paper villages" because they make andship these products throughout the country.

Votive paperand products are more expensive and more diverse this year, according toNguyen Van Hoai, who works at a votive product making workshop inPhuc Am Village .

"There is nothing that we can'tmake here, including paper Iphones, popular SH-branded motorbikes andconvertible sports cars. As long as there is an order and people arewilling to pay, we will make them," said Hoai.

Hoai'scompanies have already received dozens of orders for paper SH motorbikesand convertible cars as the holiday approaches. Each SH motorbike cost4-5 million VND (200-250 USD), while each sports car cost more than 10million VND (500 USD).

"As Tet approaches, my company getsso busy that all of my family members, including my parents andchildren, are involved in the family's business," said Dang Thanh Cong,who owns the second biggest votive product site in Duyen TruongVillage .

Cong sells his products to wholesale dealers and to major temples in Hanoi , including Tran Quoc and Quan Su.

On July 12, a Government Decree was passed, which banned burning votivepaper products at festivals or in other public places. A person can befined between 500,000 - 1 million VND (25-50 USD) if found breaking thelaw.

However, the votive paper product market had shown nosign of slowing down, said Phung Van Bang, chair of Duyen Thai CommunePeople's Committee where the above two villages are located. "We've beenorganising campaigns asking people to not make as much votive goods."he said.

ꦺ When there was a huge variety of votive goods atthe market and an increasing demand, the number of producers havenaturally grown as well, said Trinh Hoa Binh, an official from theVietnam Academy of Social Science. "Burning paper goods as offerings hasnow exceeded its original spiritual value"./.