Paper & Tanjong Rhu

Q1. Do the respective authors use these traditional Chinese rituals (eating paper dissolved in drink, burning of paper money and houses, lighting joss-sticks and praying to dead ancestors) just for irony or of profound purposes? What are these purposes?
From my point of view, i think they use these chinese rituals not just for irony. both authors are trying to convey the message of these traditions. and they believe that eating the burnt paper with water is a way of praying for peace and health. Burning of paper money s also another way to provide for the dead.

Q2. Would you yourself , as a modern young Singaporean, see the relevance of such cultural rituals in your society as necessary still are hindrance to the progress and enlightened?
As I myself am a singaporean, i think these traditions are useful as they teach the younger generations on how to appreciate and see the importance of keeping their culture.

Q3. Do you think the elderly in Singapore are out of touch with the contemporary world? How far is it a virtue to remain contented like old Mrs Li and think that there is nothing more a person especially an elderly one.
From my point of view the elderly are not really in touch with the world of technology as most of them only use things like handphones which do not require alot of skills to punch in afew numbers and the call button. Even though there are some elderly using computers and other machinary. They are just a minority. Mrs Li should not have that kind of thinking as the world is ever changing.

4. Is looking back at the past necessarily a good thing? This particular story uses the past to affirm strong ties, emotion and sentiment, but when can it become a negative habits?

Looking back may or may not be a good thing. some people tend to look into the past too much and thus it becomes a disadvantage. but looking into the past to learn from other's mistake is a good thing. "too much of anything is never good" from this quote we can tell that if everything is done in moderation. it will all work out fine.