 At certain dates , food may be set out as a sacrifice to the spirits of the deceased or the gods , such as during the Qingming Festival . This may include slaughtered animals , such as pigs and ducks , or fruit . Another form of sacrifice involves the burning of Joss paper , or Hell Bank Notes , on the assumption that images thus consumed by the fire will reappear — not as a mere image , but as the actual item — in the spirit world , making them available for revered ancestors and departed loved ones . At other points , a vegan diet or full fast may be observed . 
