Joss paper

Joss paper is a type of paper that is burned as an offering during Chinese ancestral worship and in the worship of deities in Chinese folk religion. People believe it helps dead people get what they need in the afterlife. In Taiwan people spent US$400 million on Joss paper in 2014.
Different types of spirit money are given to distinct types of spirits. There are three main types of joss paper: cash (also known as copper), silver, and gold. Cash paper is given to newly deceased and unknown spirits. Golden joss paper is offered to deities such as the Jade Emperor. Silver joss paper is given only to ancestral spirits and other spirits. It is important to follow these distinctions. If you burn the wrong paper it may confuse spirits or insult them.