Ihai

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An ihai (牌位, ihai^?) (zh: paiwei) is a tablet left before a Buddhist altar to commemorate a deceased loved one. The tablet is a holdover from days of ancestor worship practiced in Chinese Buddhism. The mortuary tablet is usually in front of the Buddhist altar with incense burning. The family of the deceased usually chants sutras or Buddhist scriptures at this tablet. This and prayers are believed to relieve the suffering of the deceased loved one in jigoku or the Buddhist hell.