Ching Ming grave-sweeping

April is the month for visiting our ancestors/late family members' graves. A moment to remind the children and grandchildren to visit them. 

I like this festival as we get to bring the family members together once a year - who travelled from various parts of the country back to this village where they free up together. 

Not only that we prepared their (our grandparents') favourite food as offerings,   Burning some paper money and daily items for their usage in another world. 

According to Chinese tradition, only by burning they can receive the money. Of course, that has it's own story that triggers Chinese to practice later. 

Last time I have a friend clement to accompany my family to go for tomb sweeping, this year I have him, a friend-turn-to-be-boyfriend, to accompany us to the graveyard again, even though he doesn't practice it as a Christian.

Mom was happy that I came back to join the family annual practice, that I was able to accompany her to see my grandparents. Some young kids who never follow their parents to tomb sweeping could never understand why we have such activities. It's actually a sign of reunion. In the old times my father's side siblings had disagreements and they were studborn enough to disconnect with each other, the only opportunity to get together is visit their parents on the Qing Ming festival. 

I told my mom that I will be cremated and my ashes will be thrown into the ocean. Let everything goes back to the earth. How people will remember me? I don't think I need a place in memorial park... Just hang a picture of mine in the house is good enough. Haha. 

 

There is a tomb abandoned for many years. The wordings on the grave stone were faded, the prayer platform was buried with a think layer of sand and hide some words. While we have done repaint the red paint of our oldest aunt's name on her grave stone, we helped to repaint the neightbour's and found out that this faded stone belongs to an uncle of 台山 (tai Shan people, from China) with surname 'yu' (余) and named 'kui' (魁) whom passed away on the same year as my aunt. 

We gave some offerings and thanked his accompany with our aunt. 

The entire ceremony ended in 2 hours.