A shopping mall in the Philippines used joss paper for its festive decorations during the Chinese New Year.

This joss paper, which are a form of paper currency intended to be offered as burnt offerings in Chinese culture, are hung together with decorative red pineapples, which symbolise good wealth, luck and prosperity.

Complementary

To the uninitiated, both variations of the decorations complement each other quite well, with the gold from the joss paper adding a nice touch to the mainly red colour scheme.

But to someone who's familiar with traditional Chinese customs, it's a jarring sight.

Joss paper is usually burnt as a superstitious solution to resolve the financial problems of the believers' ancestors.

This particular joss paper is known as tian gong jin (天公金), which is typically burnt as an offering to the deity.

Imagine the contrast these two objects make.

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Offensive joss paper taken down after complaints

Shin Min Daily News has reported that the mall subsequently removed the joss paper after a backlash online.

Top image via Annie/ Shin Min Daily News Facebook