Tomb Sweeping Day: Celebrating Ching Ming Festival In ...

The Ching Ming Festival or “Tomb Sweeping Day” is a time for the family to come together to pay their respects, by visiting and maintaining the ... Skiptocontent SocialMedia PostCategory-What'sOnWhat'sOn ChingMingishereagain.We’veputtogetherahandyguideofallyouneedtoknowabout“TombSweepingDay”inHongKong! DidyouknowthatHongKongisamongsttheplacesthatenjoythehighestnumberofpublicholidaysintheworld? Thecity’sillustrioushistorymeansthatwegetthebestofboththeWesternandChinesecalendars. Forexpatslivinghere,it’sgoodtoknowabouttheChineseholidaysandtheirsignificancetoHongKong’sculture.ChingMingFestival(or 清明節) iscomingupandtopreemptquestionsfromyourinquisitivekids,we’vecollatedthefactstomakesureyou’vegotalltheanswersattheready.Keepinmindthatthisyearwillseethegovernment’sdirectivesofsocialdistancinginplace. ReadMore: SassyMama’sGuideToFestivitiesAroundTheGlobe OriginsOfChingMingFestivalAnd TombSweepingDay TheChingMingFestivalor“TombSweepingDay”isatimeforthefamilytocometogethertopaytheirrespects,byvisitingand maintainingtheburialsitesoflovedonesandancestors.TheholidayfallsatthebeginningofApril(orinthethirdlunarmonth)whenthingsaremeanttobeclean(ching)andbright(ming),andasthefestivalcloselyfollowsthespringequinox,it’sgenerallyconsideredanauspicioustime. Itdrawsonvarioustraditions,withoriginsdatingasfarbackasthe6th CenturyBC.LegendhasitthatDukeWenofJinaccidentallykilledhisfriendJieZhituiinafireanddeclaredthattherewastobenofireforthreedays.Thisledtothetraditionofonlyeatingcoldfoodonthisday.TheShangsi“freelove”Festival(whereunmarriedcouplescouldflirtwithoutrepercussion),alsofellwithinthesamethree-dayperiod.DuringtheTangDynasty,thesefestivalsmergedtobecomewhatwenowknowastheChingMingFestival. Readmore: TheMid-AutumnFestivalInHongKong:CelebrateItsTraditionsAndCulture TombSweepingTraditionsAndPractices ThemostimportanttraditionofChingMingisforfamiliestotraveltograves,tabletlocations,templesortombs,tocleanandmaintainthem.Thisincludesfresheningupworninscriptions,weedingandgeneraldirtremoval. Hongkongerswilltakethetimetorespecttheirancestorsregardlessofthelocationofthegrave. Sometimesmoretraditionalritualstakeplaceatthelargergravesites.Familymemberswillbeginlayingauspiciousfoodlikepork,chickenandpastriesattheheadstone.Thisisfollowedbythreesetsofchopsticksandthreecupsofwine.Theheadofthehouseholdbeginsbybowingthreetimeswithacupofwineinhandandthenpouringthewineontheheadstone.Eachfamilymemberrepeatstheprocedurethreetimes.Manywillletofffirecrackers,light incenseandburnghostmoney(fakepapermoney),withsomefamiliesoftensharingamealatthegravetodinewiththeirancestors. Readmore: FamilyRestaurants:EatWithTheKidsAtTheseHongKongRestaurants Modern-DayChingMingCustoms Thetraditionalfestivalfoodiscold,green,glutinousricedumplings (takenfromthepracticeofeatingcoldfood),but thisisrarelyobservedtoday.Modernfamilieswillnowsimplyvisitthegravesitesoftheirlovedonesand dosomegeneralcleaningatthesite,beforeburningincenseandghostmoney. Somemaylayfreshflowersandthenhaveafamilymeallaterontoenjoythereprievefromwork,aswellascommemoratingtheirancestors. Busroutestothese(oncequiet)gravelocationsusuallybecomeverybusyduringtheChingMingFestival(thisyearwillhaverevisedtransportarrangements),asdomanylocalrestaurants(thingswillbedifferentthisyear).TheChingMingFestival,eveninmodern-dayHongKong,isawaytoenforcefamilyhonourandrespect,torememberandgrieveforpastlovedones,andtospendanenjoyabledaywithrelatives. Readmore: ABeginner’sGuideToChineseNewYearInHongKong   Editor’sNote:ThispostwasoriginallywritteninApril2012,before being updatedbyDanielleRobertsinApril2019andwasmostrecentlyupdatedinMarch2022.    FeaturedimagecourtesyofGetty,image1courtesyof CanPacSwireonFlickr,image2courtesyofGetty, image3courtesyof istolethetv on Flickr. HearmorefromSassyMama signupforournewsletter subscribe Newsletter ThanksforYourSubscribing! 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