Ching Ming Jeet (清明節), perhaps an obscure holiday for many from the expatriate world in Hong Kong - a public holiday for all, so who cares? It's rather interesting to delve deeper into Chinese culture and seek the meaning of these long practiced traditions.
Short History Lesson: The festival usually falls on the 5th term of the Gow lik (舊曆) [traditional lunar calendar] or for the modern day person April 4th or 5th. Anyway, the more important history. In 1st century BCE, Emperor XuangZong (唐玄宗) decided that not only aristocratic families of that era could have extravagant ceremonies and celebrations - he declared that everyone was allotted to pay formal respects for their ancestors. The day, usually an excursion to a secluded area where ancestors are buried consists of sweeping and weeding of the graves of the family. Ever since, Ching Ming (清明) has been practiced since then, but come the modern day, graves are no longer swept with flowers but with dusters. That's an extremely long time, another certainty to note is the fact that the Communist Part of China had repealed the public holiday from 1949 and reinstated it in 2008. Although this didn't affect families in paying respect for their lost family, it comes to show the strong actions of the government on tradition. It is practiced in Hong Kong, Macau, China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore.
More into the Celebration: Heung (香) or referred as joss sticks are often lighted whether it be a celebratory day or not. In addition to the burning of the incense in respect for the ones who have passed, there is a burning of yuen bo (元寶), zi dek yi fuk (紙的衣服), che (車). Nowadays, any other paper made fashion items for those in the afterlife. There is a strong belief that the burning of these paper effigies is from the living to the dead in the afterlife, so that they may prosper and live a life in riches - something that many do not have the luxury to. On top of all this, there is the offering of a variety of foods including, siu yu zu (烤乳猪), jing gai (蒸雞), fruit and wine.
Anyway, to end off this lengthy lesson - it's simply out of respect why we Chinese do this. It's also that saying we always have where family comes first. It's perhaps again another excuse for a large family dinner with a multi-course dinner.
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| Families hustling and bustling... |
More into the Celebration: Heung (香) or referred as joss sticks are often lighted whether it be a celebratory day or not. In addition to the burning of the incense in respect for the ones who have passed, there is a burning of yuen bo (元寶), zi dek yi fuk (紙的衣服), che (車). Nowadays, any other paper made fashion items for those in the afterlife. There is a strong belief that the burning of these paper effigies is from the living to the dead in the afterlife, so that they may prosper and live a life in riches - something that many do not have the luxury to. On top of all this, there is the offering of a variety of foods including, siu yu zu (烤乳猪), jing gai (蒸雞), fruit and wine.
Anyway, to end off this lengthy lesson - it's simply out of respect why we Chinese do this. It's also that saying we always have where family comes first. It's perhaps again another excuse for a large family dinner with a multi-course dinner.
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