What is a fragrant flower coupon?

Fragrant flower voucher is a kind of voucher to prove that pilgrims buy incense, flowers, fruits and other items to worship Buddha and Bodhisattva, and it has gradually evolved into synonymous with temple tickets.

There are many sayings in Buddhist scriptures about people offering sacrifices to buddhas and bodhisattvas by burning incense, flowers and fruits. For example, Chapter 15 of the Diamond Sutra: "Bodhi! Now it is everywhere. If there is such an experience, everything in the world, heaven, people and Asura should support it. When you know this place, it is a tower. You should respect it, hold a ceremony around it and disperse it with all kinds of flowers. " Another example is the 26th Law of the Infinite Life Sutra: "In order to pay tribute to the Infinite Life Buddha in the Elysium, all the Bodhisattvas in the ten countries built treasures in Xianghua, went to Buddhist temples, respectfully supported, listened to the Sutra, preached, and praised the solemnity of the Buddha's merits and demerits." Later, "offering fragrant flowers" was used to express pious salute, and "fragrant flower coupons" were used to call pilgrims' certificates of offering sacrifices to bodhisattvas. The earliest fragrant flower coupons were purchased voluntarily by tourists who came to the temple. Now many temples need to buy tickets to enter. Saying "flower coupons" instead of "tickets" is a euphemism.