{"id":169816,"date":"2024-06-17T09:45:23","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T13:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=169816"},"modified":"2024-08-19T11:17:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T15:17:44","slug":"ancestor-veneration-funerals-and-afterlife-beliefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/06\/17\/ancestor-veneration-funerals-and-afterlife-beliefs\/","title":{"rendered":"5. Ancestor veneration, funerals and afterlife beliefs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-define-east-asia\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-define-east-asia&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we define East Asia<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically, East Asia is <a href=\"https:\/\/asiasociety.org\/countries-regions\/east-asia\">considered to encompass<\/a> China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan. In geopolitical terms, Vietnam is often categorized as part of Southeast Asia. But we surveyed Vietnam along with East Asia for several reasons, including its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/place\/Vietnam\/Vietnam-under-Chinese-rule\">historic ties to China<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/pdf\/j.ctv3zp043.6.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3A9a8fd9f6572644cbba3eff48ba5b2684&amp;ab_segments=&amp;origin=&amp;initiator=&amp;acceptTC=1\">Confucian traditions<\/a>. Moreover, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordbibliographies.com\/display\/document\/obo-9780195393521\/obo-9780195393521-0015.xml\">Buddhists in Vietnam<\/a> practice the same strain of Buddhism (Mahayana) found across East Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Throughout this report, the term \u201cEast Asia\u201d refers to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>When discussing trends throughout the broader \u201cregion,\u201d we include Vietnam.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For legal and logistical reasons, we did not survey several other places that are generally considered part of East Asia. At present, China does not allow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinafile.com\/ngo\/latest\/fact-sheet-chinas-foreign-ngo-law\">non-Chinese organizations<\/a> to conduct surveys on the mainland, and public opinion surveys are not possible in North Korea. Conducting nationally representative surveys in Mongolia is difficult due to the nomadic lifestyle of a large part of its people. We did not survey Macau because its population is relatively small.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edspace.american.edu\/qianlanmiao\/northern-china-and-korean-peninsula\/shrine-of-ancestors\/\">Ancestor veneration<\/a> is important across East Asia and Vietnam. It takes <a href=\"https:\/\/asia.si.edu\/whats-on\/events\/celebrations\/chuseok\/\">many different forms<\/a> and is tied to the traditional belief that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcjournals.org\/pdfs\/ijrsa\/v5-i4\/2.pdf\">ancestors\u2019 spirits remain in one\u2019s family<\/a> and can intervene in human affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Traditional <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/japans-obon-festival-how-family-commemoration-and-ancestral-worship-shapes-daily-life-179890\">ancestor veneration practices<\/a> involve gravesite maintenance (or \u201ctomb sweeping\u201d); burning incense to honor ancestors; leaving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/03\/27\/dining\/tomb-sweeping-day-food.html\">offerings of food or drink<\/a> at gravesites or ancestral altars, particularly <a href=\"https:\/\/vietnamtimes.org.vn\/qing-ming-festival-in-vietnam-when-why-and-how-it-is-celebrated-30073.html\">during certain holidays<\/a>; and making offerings of <a href=\"https:\/\/lammuseum.wfu.edu\/2018\/01\/chinese-spirit-money\/\">spirit money or other goods<\/a> believed to be necessary to ensure the comfort and happiness of ancestors in the afterlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170083\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c4dbe4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c4dbe4;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-01.png?resize=480,382 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-01.png?resize=782,622 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-01.png?resize=840,668 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"334\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-01.png?w=840\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they have done each of the following in the past 12 months to honor or take care of their ancestors: burned incense, offered food, water or drinks, offered flowers or lit candles or offered money or other things they may need in the afterlife. Overall, large majorities in Vietnam engage in these traditions to honor ancestors.\" class=\"wp-image-170083 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the region, 50% of religiously unaffiliated adults or more, as well as the vast majority of Buddhists, say they have burned incense for their ancestors in the past 12 months. In most of the five societies surveyed, a majority of Buddhists and unaffiliated people also say they have offered food, water or drinks to their ancestors in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Far fewer Christians engage in these types of activities, except in Vietnam. There, 86% of Christians say they have burned incense and 81% say they have offered flowers or lit candles in honor of ancestors in the past year. (According to historians, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/j.ctvr0qspg?turn_away=true\">Vietnamese Christians were persecuted in the 19th century<\/a> in part because Christianity was viewed as opposing the ancestor rites that were a cornerstone of Vietnamese society. Today, some Catholic authorities in Vietnam prefer to describe ancestor-focused traditions as <a href=\"https:\/\/core.ac.uk\/download\/235950177.pdf\">veneration, rather than worship<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this survey, most respondents in Japan and Vietnam say they have a family gravesite, and majorities in both countries also say they look after the gravesite by cleaning it. Smaller shares in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan have a family gravesite. But among people who <em>do<\/em> have a family gravesite, overwhelming majorities across the region say they visit it at least once a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Throughout the region, people say it is important to follow traditional practices when planning a loved one\u2019s funeral. For example, about seven-in-ten adults in both Japan and Taiwan say that following traditional funeral rites is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The survey also asked about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#cremation-and-burial\">Cremating versus burying loved ones<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#belief-in-rebirth-and-nirvana\">Belief in rebirth and karma<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#belief-in-heaven-and-hell\">Belief in heaven and hell<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;ancestor-veneration-rituals&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ancestor-veneration-rituals\">Ancestor veneration rituals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In each of the five places surveyed, large shares of the population say they have done the following in the past 12 months to honor or take care of their ancestors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Burned incense<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offered food, water or drinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offered flowers or lit candles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In East Asia and Vietnam, these activities often occur at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/lifestyle\/food-drink\/article\/3194683\/chung-yeung-festival-hong-kong-rules-about-food-offerings\">gravesites<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/butsudan\">home altars<\/a>, though the survey did not specify any location. (More about the prevalence of home altars can be found in <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/06\/17\/practices\/#home-altars\">Chapter 4<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170084\"><img data-dominant-color=\"b2d0dd\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #b2d0dd;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-02.png?resize=480,710 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-02.png?resize=782,1156 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-02.png?resize=840,1242 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"621\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-02.png?w=693\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics, broken down by their current religion, who say they have done each of the following in the past 12 months to honor or take care of their ancestors: burned incense, offered food, water or drinks, offered flowers or lit candles, or offered money or other things they may need in the afterlife. Christians in East Asia and Vietnam are generally less likely than others to engage in ancestor veneration rituals.\" class=\"wp-image-170084 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ancestor veneration rituals are <a href=\"https:\/\/en.vietnamplus.vn\/ancestor-worship-ritual-a-fine-tradition-of-vietnam\/255937.vnp\">particularly common in Vietnam<\/a>, where 96% of adults say they have burned incense in the past 12 months and 90% report that they have offered flowers or lit candles to honor their ancestors. In Taiwan and Japan, roughly eight-in-ten people surveyed have burned incense to honor ancestors in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the practices we asked about, the least common is offering ancestors \u201cmoney or other things\u201d that they may need in the afterlife. Still, majorities in Vietnam and Taiwan say they have made such offerings in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally, Buddhists are more likely than people with no religion to honor ancestors in these ways, and people with no religious affiliation are more likely than Christians to do so. But in Vietnam, a solid majority of Christians have burned incense (86%) and offered flowers or lit candles (81%) for ancestors in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Respondents ages 60 and older are somewhat more likely than younger adults to say they have burned incense and offered flowers or lit candles to honor ancestors in the past 12 months. And men are more likely than women to say they have burned incense for ancestors in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;communicating-with-ancestors&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"communicating-with-ancestors\">Communicating with ancestors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fewer than half of respondents throughout the region say they have told ancestors about events in their lives during the past 12 months. This practice is most common in Vietnam (45%), Taiwan (38%) and Japan (37%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170085\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e6e6e6\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e6e6e6;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-03.png?resize=480,511 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-03.png?resize=620,660 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"330\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-03.png?w=620\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they have told their ancestors about events in their lives in the past 12 months. Roughly a quarter of Hong Kongers say they talk to ancestors about their lives.\" class=\"wp-image-170085 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Buddhists are generally more likely than Christians and the religiously unaffiliated to say they have spoken to their ancestors about what is happening in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We also asked respondents whether they have ever felt the spirit of an ancestor interact with them in certain ways, such as by helping them, punishing them, coming to visit them in a dream, or coming to be with them in any other form.<br><br>In most places surveyed, fewer than half of respondents say they have had these experiences. Feeling that an ancestor has <em>punished<\/em> them is particularly rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170086\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d9e4e9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d9e4e9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-04.png?resize=480,513 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-04.png?resize=620,662 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"331\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-04.png?w=620\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they have ever felt that the spirit of an ancestor has done each of the following: helped them, punished them, come to visit them in a dream or come to be with them in any other form. Few in these Asian societies believe ancestors have punished them.\" class=\"wp-image-170086 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Vietnam stands out on one measure: Nearly eight-in-ten Vietnamese adults say the spirit of an ancestor has ever <em>helped<\/em> them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Buddhists across the region are more likely than the religiously unaffiliated and Christians to say they have felt spirits either help or punish them. For example, South Korean Buddhists (53%) are more than twice as likely as the religiously unaffiliated (22%) or Christians (20%) to say they have felt the spirit of an ancestor help them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, women are more likely than men to say ancestors have visited them in a dream. And adults ages 60 and older are more likely than younger adults to report this experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;family-gravesites&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"family-gravesites\">Family gravesites<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Family gravesites, which can include places <a href=\"https:\/\/asia.nikkei.com\/Spotlight\/The-Big-Story\/Funerals-for-the-21st-century-Asia-s-new-ways-to-say-goodbye\">where cremated ashes are interred<\/a>, are extremely common in some, but not all, of the five societies surveyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170087\"><img data-dominant-color=\"ccdde4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #ccdde4;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-05.png?resize=480,422 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-05.png?resize=782,688 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-05.png?resize=840,739 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"370\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-05.png?w=840\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say the following: they have a family gravesite where the remains of deceased family members reside, they look after a family gravesite by sweeping or cleaning it or they pay money to maintain a family gravesite. The vast majority of East Asians and Vietnamese who have a family gravesite say they maintain it.\" class=\"wp-image-170087 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Japan and Vietnam, more than eight-in-ten adults say they have a gravesite where the ashes or remains of deceased family members reside. In South Korea, just over half say this, while in Hong Kong and Taiwan, about one-in-three adults have family gravesites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among survey respondents who report having a family gravesite, the vast majority say they (or others in their household) look after it by sweeping or cleaning it. For example, 28% of adults in Taiwan say they have a family gravesite, and most of these respondents (23% of all Taiwanese surveyed) say that someone in their household sweeps or cleans it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the region, people are less likely to say they pay money to maintain family gravesites, though in Japan a majority of adults say they (or others in their household) pay for this upkeep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170088\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dfe7eb\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dfe7eb;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-06.png?resize=480,464 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-06.png?resize=782,756 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-06.png?resize=840,812 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"406\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-06.png?w=840\" alt=\"A bar chart showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they have a family gravesite, and how often they visit that gravesite. 7 in 10 Japanese adults visit their family gravesite at least once a year.\" class=\"wp-image-170088 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most East Asians and Vietnamese who have a family gravesite say they visit it at least once a year. For example, in Taiwan, 28% of adults say they have a family gravesite, and 24% of all adults (or 86% of those who have a family gravesite) say they visit it once a year or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Vietnam and Japan, where family gravesites are much more common, seven-in-ten adults or more say they visit theirs at least once a year. And in both places, roughly one-in-ten adults say they visit their family gravesite at least <em>monthly<\/em> (12% and 8%, respectively).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;how-important-are-traditional-funerals&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-important-are-traditional-funerals\">How important are traditional funerals?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although funeral rites vary across the region, most respondents in all five places surveyed say it would be at least somewhat important to follow tradition if they were planning a funeral for a family member or loved one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170089\"><img data-dominant-color=\"eeebe4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #eeebe4;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-07.png?resize=480,466 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-07.png?resize=782,760 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-07.png?resize=840,816 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"408\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-07.png?w=840\" alt=\"A bar chart showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say it would be very, somewhat, not very or not at all important for them to follow traditional funeral rites if they were planning the funeral of a family member or a loved one. 44% of adults in South Korea say it is not important to follow traditional funeral rites.\" class=\"wp-image-170089 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Vietnam, about nine-in-ten adults say this, including 68% who say it would be <em>very<\/em> important to follow traditional funeral rites and rituals. Previous research has shown that <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/chapter\/10.1007\/978-3-030-18826-9_5\">planning a parent\u2019s funeral<\/a> is among life\u2019s greatest responsibilities in Vietnam. These funeral proceedings can last for quite some time, and they often are a joint effort with many members of the family and community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally across the region, Buddhists are more likely than Christians or adults without a religious affiliation to say it would be important to follow traditional rituals at a loved one\u2019s funeral. But even among Christians and the religiously unaffiliated, about half or more say it would be at least somewhat important to do this. For example, in South Korea, 71% of Buddhists, 49% of Christians and 54% of the religiously unaffiliated say this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(For more on Buddhists\u2019 views about the importance of Buddhist funerals to Buddhist identity, read <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/06\/17\/religion-as-a-way-of-life\/#what-can-a-person-do-and-still-be-truly-buddhist\">Chapter 2<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In several places across the region, women are more likely than men to say that traditional funeral rituals would be important. In South Korea and Taiwan, however, men and women are about equally likely to prioritize traditional rites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;cremation-and-burial&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cremation-and-burial\">Cremation and burial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this region, the question of how to handle the remains of the dead is widely debated for many reasons, including concerns about <a href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/1374487\/taipeis-dragon-tower-provides-alternative-form-of-burial\">land scarcity<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/327113224_Groundwater_pollution_by_longstanding_cemetery_and_solutions_for_urban_cemetery_planning_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_City_-_from_reality_to_solutions\">groundwater pollution<\/a>, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/asia.nikkei.com\/Spotlight\/The-Big-Story\/Funerals-for-the-21st-century-Asia-s-new-ways-to-say-goodbye\">evolving funeral customs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Survey respondents were asked how their family takes care of the remains of deceased family members. The options we gave were cremation, burial or \u201cfollow some other method.\u201d People could select more than one option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170090\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dce8ec\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dce8ec;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-08.png?resize=480,481 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-08.png?resize=782,783 782w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-08.png?resize=840,841 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"421\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-08.png?w=840\" alt=\"A bar chart showing the share of adults in five East Asia who say their family cremates or buries their deceased family members or does both. In Japan, 9 in 10 say their family both cremates and buries remains.\" class=\"wp-image-170090 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Large majorities in four of the surveyed places say they cremate deceased family members. Vietnam is the only place in the region where <a href=\"https:\/\/e.vnexpress.net\/news\/news\/central-vietnam-province-covers-cremation-costs-to-discourage-burials-4697144.html\">burial is more common than cremation<\/a> (91% vs. 28%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No more than 6% in any place say their family follows some other method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Japan, 92% of adults say their family <em>both<\/em> cremates <em>and<\/em> buries deceased family members. Far fewer adults in other places report choosing both cremation and burial for dead relatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outside Japan, majorities say their family <em>either<\/em> cremates <em>or<\/em> buries dead relatives. In South Korea, 49% of respondents say their family cremates without burying, while 27% say their family buries without cremating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170091\"><img data-dominant-color=\"efefef\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #efefef;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-09.png?resize=480,571 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-09.png?resize=620,738 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"369\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-09.png?w=620\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say their family cremates dead relatives and either keeps the ashes in a particular location or scatters the ashes. Few East Asian and Vietnamese families scatter deceased relatives\u2019 ashes.\" class=\"wp-image-170091 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Survey respondents who reported that their family cremates deceased relatives were then asked whether they scatter the ashes or keep them in \u201ca particular location, like someone\u2019s home, a temple or pagoda, or a gravesite.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keeping ashes in a particular location is the most common approach. Large majorities in Japan (92%), Taiwan (87%) and Hong Kong (74%) say they do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;belief-in-rebirth-and-nirvana&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"belief-in-rebirth-and-nirvana\">Belief in rebirth and nirvana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The belief that humans are reborn in an ongoing cycle of suffering known as <em>samsara<\/em> is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bristol.ac.uk\/religion\/buddhist-centre\/projects\/bdr\/chaplains\/online-guide.html\">core teaching in Buddhism<\/a>, and at least half of Buddhists in all five locations surveyed say they think rebirth exists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170092\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e7e7e7\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e7e7e7;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-010.png?resize=480,490 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-010.png?resize=620,633 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"317\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-010.png?w=620\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they think rebirth exists. 56% of the religiously unaffiliated in Taiwan believe in rebirth.\" class=\"wp-image-170092 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Religiously unaffiliated adults are less likely than Buddhists to say they believe in rebirth. Still, significant shares of the religiously unaffiliated in Taiwan (56%), Hong Kong (52%) and Vietnam (49%) say they believe in rebirth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Taiwan, roughly eight-in-ten Daoists (also spelled Taoists) and followers of local or Indigenous religions also say they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1179\/tcr.2008.15.1.179\">believe in rebirth<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the region, women are more likely than men to say they believe in rebirth. In Japan, for example, 51% of women believe in rebirth, compared with 37% of men. Adults younger than 60 are also more likely than the region\u2019s older adults to say rebirth exists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Reincarnation is a related concept in Hinduism. Our 2019-2020 survey of <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2021\/06\/29\/religious-beliefs-2\/#belief-in-reincarnation-is-not-widespread-in-india\">religion in India<\/a> found that 40% of Hindus in India believe in reincarnation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Respondents also were asked whether they believe in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/nirvana-religion\">nirvana<\/a> \u2013&nbsp;a term used in Buddhist teachings to refer to the state of liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Buddhists in Hong Kong (77%), Taiwan (59%) and South Korea (58%) are the only religious groups with a majority that believes in nirvana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170093\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e8e8e8\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e8e8e8;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-011.png?resize=480,458 480w, https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-011.png?resize=620,592 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"296\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-011.png?w=620\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they think nirvana exists. 48% of Hong Kongers believe in nirvana.\" class=\"wp-image-170093 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the places surveyed, the religiously unaffiliated and Christians are much less likely than Buddhists to believe in nirvana. For example, 48% of Vietnamese Buddhists say they believe in nirvana, compared with 20% of religiously unaffiliated Vietnamese adults and 17% of Vietnamese Christians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(In every place but Hong Kong, sizable shares chose not to answer this question. This ranged from 16% in South Korea to 30% in Taiwan.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 data-is-section=\"true\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;belief-in-heaven-and-hell&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/table-of-contents&quot;}\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"belief-in-heaven-and-hell\">Belief in heaven and hell<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-200-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170094\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d3e3e9\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d3e3e9;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-012.png?resize=400,746 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"373\" width=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-012.png?w=400\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics who say they think either heaven or hell exists. In Vietnam, slightly more believe in hell (55%) than in heaven (48%).\" class=\"wp-image-170094 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many world religions have concepts that can be understood as \u201cheaven\u201d and \u201chell,\u201d even though religions may define or describe these places differently. For example, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/bitesize\/guides\/zgqjgdm\/revision\/2\">Christianity<\/a> describes heaven and hell as final destinations for souls of the dead, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/religion\/religions\/buddhism\/beliefs\/universe_1.shtml\">Buddhism<\/a> teaches that heaven and hell are among the many temporary locations that a soul can be reborn into before escaping the cycle of rebirth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Hong Kong and Taiwan, clear majorities say they believe in both heaven and hell. In Vietnam, the public is more evenly divided, with 48% expressing belief in heaven and 55% in hell. Meanwhile, in Japan and South Korea, roughly four-in-ten adults believe in heaven, and somewhat fewer Japanese (32%) believe in hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Christians in the region typically are the most likely to say that both heaven and hell exist, though more Christians express belief in heaven than in hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-200-wide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?attachment_id=170095\"><img data-dominant-color=\"cbdee5\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #cbdee5;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-013.png?resize=400,1320 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"660\" width=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-asia_5-013.png?w=310\" alt=\"A table showing the share of adults in five Asian publics, broken down by their current religion, who say they think either heaven or hell exists. Across East Asia and Vietnam, majorities of Christians believe in both heaven and hell.\" class=\"wp-image-170095 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Buddhists across the region are more likely than people who have no religion to believe in each concept. For instance, in Vietnam, the vast majority of Christians (86%) believe in heaven, compared with roughly half of Buddhists (53%) and a third of the unaffiliated (34%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our survey also finds that, in general:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Adults under 60 are morelikely than older adults to say they believe in hell. In Hong Kong, for instance, 63% of adults who are younger than 60 believe in hell, compared with 49% of older adults.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Women are more likely than men to say that <em>both<\/em> heaven and hell exist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christians who say they pray at least once a day are more likely than other Christians to say they believe in both heaven and hell.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many in the region practice ancestor veneration and say it is important to follow traditional funeral practices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sub_headline":"","sub_title":"","_prc_public_revisions":[],"_ppp_expiration_hours":0,"_ppp_enabled":false,"ai_generated_summary":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_api_pending":"","apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_hidden":false,"relatedPosts":[],"reportMaterials":[],"multiSectionReport":[],"package_parts__enabled":false,"package_parts":[],"datacite_doi":"","datacite_doi_citation":"","_prc_seo_qr_attachment_id":0,"spoken_article_player_enabled":true,"displayBylines":true,"footnotes":"","prc_watchers":[],"_prc_fork_parent":0,"_prc_fork_status":"","_prc_active_fork":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[161,192,179,169,412,160,195],"tags":[],"bylines":[925,866,832,550,701,589],"collection":[],"datasets":[2390],"level_of_effort":[],"primary_audience":[],"information_type":[],"_post_visibility":[],"formats":[458],"_fund_pool":[],"languages":[],"regions-countries":[507,514],"research-teams":[517],"workflow-status":[],"class_list":["post-169816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beliefs-practices","category-buddhism","category-christianity","category-non-religion-secularism","category-pew-templeton-global-religious-futures-project","category-religious-identity-affiliation","category-religiously-unaffiliated","bylines-alan-cooperman","bylines-jonathan-evans","bylines-kelsey-jo-starr","bylines-kirsten-lesage","bylines-manolo-corichi","bylines-william-miner","datasets-east-asian-societies-survey-dataset","formats-report","regions-countries-asia-pacific","regions-countries-international","research-teams-religion"],"label":false,"post_parent":169727,"word_count":2293,"canonical_url":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2024\/06\/17\/ancestor-veneration-funerals-and-afterlife-beliefs\/","art_direction":{"A1":{"id":169896,"rawUrl":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-Asia_featured.jpg","url":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-Asia_featured.jpg?w=564&h=317&crop=1","width":564,"height":317,"caption":"A man burns joss sticks in a cemetery during the Ching Ming Festival, or Grave Sweeping Day, in Hong Kong. (Anthony Wallace\/AFP via Getty Images)","chartArt":false},"A2":{"id":169896,"rawUrl":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-Asia_featured.jpg","url":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-Asia_featured.jpg?w=268&h=151&crop=1","width":268,"height":151,"caption":"A man burns joss sticks in a cemetery during the Ching Ming Festival, or Grave Sweeping Day, in Hong Kong. (Anthony Wallace\/AFP via Getty Images)","chartArt":false},"A3":{"id":169896,"rawUrl":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-Asia_featured.jpg","url":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/06\/PR_2024.06.17_religion-in-east-Asia_featured.jpg?w=194&h=110&crop=1","width":194,"height":110,"caption":"A man burns joss sticks in a cemetery during the Ching Ming Festival, or Grave Sweeping Day, in Hong Kong. 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