The ancient traditions and contemporary customs of Asia continue to baffle Westerners, particularly when it comes to technology. Such is the case with China, where mourners are actually honoring their dead with paper iPads and iPhones.

The paper replicas are for the Chinese Qingming festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, during which families and friends leave symbolic offerings at the grave sites of their loved ones. The offerings vary widely, but in recent times the prized Apple touchscreen devices have become an acceptable form of tribute to those in the afterlife. The paper iPad can cost as little as $3, an easy way to bestow what may have been an aspirational gift upon someone who never had the chance to own the latest gadget during their lifetime.

Via BoingBoing