Truce after death

Source: Apple Daily 7/30/2014

The annual commemoration of the war-dead from the Sino-French war (1884) is conducted in Keelung on July 30, as part of the Taiwanese custom of placating the dead on the 15th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, known as 中元普渡.

A procession starts from the 民族英雄墓 Tombs of the National Heroes, where Qing soldiers were buried, continues on to the French Cemetery where 700 French sailors and fusiliers marins were entombed. Prayers are said and among the offerings to the French are freshly-cut flowers, various fruits, red wine, French bread, funerary foreign currencies, and a golden ship for them to sail home with (above).

It is hoped that spirits from both sides will finally rest in peace, even befriend each other in the after-life.