Monday, 5 April 2010

What is the Ching Ming Festival?


Ching Ming Festival is one of the 24 segments in Chinese calendar. Ching Ming is also known as "Remembrance of Ancestors Day" or 'Grave Sweeping Day'. On Ching Ming, the whole family will visit their ancestors or relatives' graves.

People carry incense sticks, joss sticks and paper offerings like paper money and paper clothes and any other paper accessories. All paper offerings will be burnt for they believe that the relatives can receive the goods this way. Chrysanthemum is normally the chosen flowers taken, so don't give Chrysanthemum to Chinese people as gift because it's a funeral/grave sweeping flowers. Food like roasted suckling pig, steamed chicken, fruit and wine are offered during the ceremony and people will eat it after worshipping. People also clear away weeds and touch up gravestone inscriptions.

Some people carry willow branches with them or hang it on the front door. It's believed that willows help to get rid of evil spirits, when Ching Ming is one of the days that ghosts and spirits wander about.

Information from:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/events/festival-ching-ming.html
http://www.hkfastfacts.com/Chinese%20Festivals/ching_ming_festival.htm
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