[he's skimming signs as he listens and answers, a bit intrigued that he can read them since they aren't in his own dialect]

Likewise, they're nothing more than superstition. It's a handy means of ensuring that the dead have been properly buried and mourned, but I see no benefit otherwise.

Let's see. If a dead man returns as a hungry ghost, popular belief is that either its descendants need to honor it, or it needs offerings of food and entertainment. Good wine, delicacies, and merriment.