Day of the Dead Special: The Wonderful Collision of Mexican Colors and Eastern Joss Paper
03 Dec 2025
In November, the streets of Mexico City are flooded with the golden hue of marigolds—these petals, known as "flowers to guide the dead," stretch from the Constitution Square in the city center to the doorsteps of residents' homes, complementing the sequined skeleton dolls in shop windows and sun totems made of colorful paper cuttings. In a corner grocery store, owner Rosa is placing a stack of joss paper printed with eagle patterns on the altar, next to freshly fried chicken legs and a clay plate of pan de muerto. "I only used to put Catrina skeleton decorations in previous years, but I added this this year," she said, picking up a piece of joss paper with a smile. "My Chinese neighbor said this is 'cross-ocean pocket money' for ancestors, as sincere as our offerings."
Few people notice that this Mexican traditional festival, which dissolves the sadness of death with vivid colors, shares an amazing spiritual resonance with the Eastern Ghost Festival. The core ritual of Día de los Muertos—"building an altar to welcome ancestors"—involves placing the deceased's favorite foods and daily items, hoping that their souls will return along the scent of marigolds. Similarly, the Chinese custom of "burning joss paper to prepare funds for ancestors" during the Ghost Festival is based on the belief that loved ones still need material support in the afterlife. These two seemingly different expressions hide the simplest concern of humans for the deceased: "We have never forgotten you, and we wish you well on the other side."
This year's Día de los Muertos has given this resonance a more concrete carrier—a custom-made joss paper designed for the integration of Chinese and Mexican cultures. After researching the Mexican national emblem and Eastern worship symbols repeatedly, the design team achieved a delicate balance: the front features the eagle totem from the Mexican national emblem, with the eagle holding a snake on a cactus, surrounded by tiny marigold patterns. It retains the cultural identity of Día de los Muertos while exuding solemnity; the back bears the classic vermilion seal of "Mingtong Bank" paired with traditional cloud patterns, allowing Chinese users to feel the familiar sense of ritual at a glance. "When I first saw the sample, I remembered what my grandmother used to say: 'Worship must be recognizable to ancestors,'" said Li Mei, a Chinese who has lived in Mexico for ten years. "The eagle is their belief, and the seal is our tradition—this way, the sincerity from both sides reaches them."
The accompanying worship guide makes this integration even more practical. The guide details how to match Chinese and Mexican worship elements: when placing fried chicken legs (a traditional Mexican offering) with joss paper, they can be placed in the "fire element" area of the altar, corresponding to the fire in the Eastern "Five Elements," symbolizing enthusiasm for ancestors; when burning joss paper, a layer of dried marigold petals can be laid underneath, so that the ashes drift with the floral scent. This not only fits the "guiding" meaning of Día de los Muertos but also continues the Eastern tradition of "sending thoughts with fragrance." After using it, Ana, an elementary school teacher in Mexico City, specially sent photos of her family's worship: her 10-year-old son was holding joss paper decorated with skeleton stickers (included in the guide), and fried chicken legs, pan de muerto, and joss paper were neatly arranged on the altar. The scent of marigolds mingled with the warmth of burning paper, creating a touching scene. "My son said, 'Great-grandma will definitely recognize our sincerity,'" Ana wrote in her email. "He even drew a picture of great-grandma holding the joss paper, with eagles and dragons dancing beside her."
This cultural collision is no longer an isolated case. In Chinatown in Guadalajara, many "dual-element altars" have appeared during this year's Día de los Muertos: Chinese shop owners place zongzi and joss paper on the altar, decorated with traditional Mexican sugar skulls; Mexican neighbors learn to fold paper ingots and offer them with their own tortillas. An elderly overseas Chinese sighed: "I used to feel that celebrating festivals abroad was missing something. Now, combining the two rituals makes me feel closer to my ancestors—they understand both our joss paper and the scent of marigolds."
In the evening, the laughter of children came from outside Rosa's supermarket. Wearing skeleton masks, they waved joss paper printed with eagle patterns and danced to traditional music. Rosa lit a stack of joss paper, and the marigold petals glowed golden in the firelight. The ashes drifted toward the distant snow-capped mountains with the evening wind. She whispered: "Whether it's the road paved with marigolds or this piece of joss paper, we're telling our ancestors: we're living well, and we've always been thinking of you."
In fact, there has never been a "strange cultural collision"—only the common longing of humans expressed differently on different lands. When the Mexican eagle totem meets the Eastern Mintong seal, and the scent of marigolds mingles with the warmth of paper ashes, we finally understand: what transcends national borders is never the form of worship, but the undimmed concern hidden behind the rituals.
Interactive Topic: What "localized adaptations" of traditional rituals have you seen? Using local ingredients as offerings, praying in dialect? Share below
Sample Block Quote
Praesent vestibulum congue tellus at fringilla. Curabitur vitae semper sem, eu convallis est. Cras felis nunc commodo eu convallis vitae interdum non nisl. Maecenas ac est sit amet augue pharetra convallis.
Sample Paragraph Text
Praesent vestibulum congue tellus at fringilla. Curabitur vitae semper sem, eu convallis est. Cras felis nunc commodo eu convallis vitae interdum non nisl. Maecenas ac est sit amet augue pharetra convallis nec danos dui. Cras suscipit quam et turpis eleifend vitae malesuada magna congue. Damus id ullamcorper neque. Sed vitae mi a mi pretium aliquet ac sed elitos. Pellentesque nulla eros accumsan quis justo at tincidunt lobortis deli denimes, suspendisse vestibulum lectus in lectus volutpate.
