What is QingMing Festival

Tomb-sweeping day is what we called QingMing, IT is a major Chinese festival.

This is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed. It allow us to pay respect to our deceased ancestors and family members to show our filial to them.

Favorite food of the ancestors, will be put around the grave for the spirit of the ancestors. The Chinese believe that the dead ancestors are not eating well in their afterlife. Giving them their favorite food not only shows respect for them but also brings the descendants good life and health.

We believe that the spirit has power to fulfil wishes. The food is not wasted as after prayers they will be brought back and shared among the descendants. The Chinese believe that eating them brings good health. Also, paper money is burned, candles are lit and the whole family kneels to pay respect. The Chinese also believes that paper money can be consumed in heaven or hell.

The implicit meaning is during the life time of thier ancestor they treat them 'not so well' as after their ancestor passed away lor! and they do this is because they hope to get the blessing from thier ancestor, is consider for the sake of Ownself!!!

Certain native or family have thier pantang (taboo) on thier QingMing prayer.
Some they not allow daughther side to join the prayer of thier deceased ancestors as they worry they will share the family wealth or luck (some sort like that)
There is one rules that all sibling must do the grave sweeping together istead of praying separetely ownself. There is rumuor saying that it will bring some bad luck la...But The actual reason is bcoz if they do the QingMing separately is symptom the relationship of them (siblings) are 'not ngam' non reunion

For my dad & mum side QingMing, we are welcome both daughther and son side to join the praying session. I will tried to participate this event if I am in JB. This year, mummy and daddy side was arrange on the same day. Luckily my paternal granparents & maternal granparent are neighbour, thier graves are locare at the same Taman, so we still can join the prayer for maternal side after paternal side done.

As for mummy side, is much more happenning and merrier.
we normally will do the picnic at maternal tomb..Mum and auntie they all will be very busy gossiping and discussing thier long time meet old frens (bcoz tomb is locate at thier hometown they can see thier childhood frens during this time).
Sometime, they will kepoh to see what other ppl bought for thier prayer
''wah, XXX got buy the bicycle that looks so real''
"wei, just now i saw one the decease is so young''
laughing and recalling thier childhood memories.

1 thing they never miss out is , they sure will request 4 digit from my granparents for thier lottery.

Site View at 7am morning

Paternal Grandparent grave

Mummy and Auntie is setting up thier praying stuff

One thing i hate during this festival is the broken tiny moutain road to enter the ancestral grave is create alot inconvenience and heavy jam. Every year, they will be fighthing or shouting for those who enter or going to leave the sites

Maternal granparent site

Full of paper money, clothes, shoes, accessories
Eason & mummy

(we all laugh at mum attire which looks like the PIC of the gardening of the grave)
Putting another type of paper on the upper part of the grave
This only can be do by guys-Yup ladies are not allow to step on the grave.
Why? i also dunnoe, pantang lor!

Another merrrier part, we will playing the firecrakers during praying session

Cousin is setting up the stick for hanging the firecrakers

Bomm..bomm.boom...

Total we have lighted more than 4 firecrakers

Everyone is closed thier ear for this high frequency noises

Suddenly the censer on fire, this is what we called '发炉' in chinese, is a good symptom represent that my granparents are happy also is has the meaning of 'Huat la!!' (Fortune)

After praying then is buring those paper money and necessities for them...

wow!!! If my granparents manage to receive all, sure they are 'multibillionaire'

Everyone is running awat once the papar start burning because it make u feel like a roasted chicken in hot oven

We will throwing papers that in long and white (another type paper money) during the burning session. because of the hot air, the paper money will flying high and blowing by wind.

Of coz for those kids, is another throwing high competition.

Can you see how high the paper flying to?