Tomb Sweeping Day and Clear Brightness Festival are the most common English translations of Qingming Festival.
For the Chinese, it is a day to remember and honour one's ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, (joss) paper accessories, and/or libation to the ancestors. The rites are very important to most Chinese and especially farmers.
Some people carry willow branches with them on Qingming, or put willow branches on their gates and/or front doors. They think that willow branches help ward off the evil ghosts that wander on Qingming. Also on Qingming, people go on family outings, start the spring plowing, sing, dance, and Qingming is a time where young couples start courting. Another popular thing to do is fly kites (in shapes of animals, or characters from Chinese opera).
Preparations at home ... and loading up my car's huge boot!
The queues were long ... but it seems we had it easy this year (Relatively light traffic, and no rain!)
Arrival at Kwong Tong (Cantonese) Cemetery / Memorial Park, in Cheras (Kuala Lumpur)
At the Gateway Temple
We then walked to Grandpa and Grandma's grave ... Took a bit of finding!
My family
Our food!
Paying respects to Grandma and Grandpa
Time for our Annual Family Picnic!
1 comment:
Ha ha...I find your annual picnic during cheng ming is so funny. My family do the same too and in fact my aunt brings a hot flusk of coffee and everyone has a cup of it. This is the day I get to see most of my relatives.
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