Cheng Beng/All Souls Day/Qing Ming (清明) How many of you still honor the tradition? Do u believe in honoring it or you do it out of obligation (and won't do it if ur parents are not around?) Do u find it a trouble to travel to your ancestors' tomb every year, preparing the items for the trip etc. or do you do it out of ur own will to remember ur closest who had departed? As for me, I do it out of obligation and also out of remembrance and I think i will continue the tradition even if no one bugs me to do it.
I still do it out of obligation to my ancestors that passed away..., the day is supposed to be April 5th or around there. Just visit like a mortuary thats in an Asian community in the 1st week of April, you'll see several Asian people there mourning. Despite the fact that I don't really like ancient Chinese traditions, its the only holiday (besides Chinese New Year) that I actually participate in.
Uhh, I dunno my parents don´t do those things but I remember there was one year when we were in HK and we all went to the family tomb to do those ´paai sang´ stuff like burning incense, paper money and offering fruits, a huge roasted wild boar and other food to the ancestors. I find it hell scary, esp. when there was a procession of a mourning family who were on the way to bury their beloved one passing by -just close enough to see them in a distance- but we all had to turn away immediately as it will bring bad luck if you see it. If I´m in HK and the HK relatives ask me to join them in these traditions I would if they told me what to do.
But but, it´s not likely I would honor this tradition if I´m not in HK...I would never voluntary do that in Europe. And if relatives in HK won´t press pressure on me I won´t carry on that tradition either. -mellow
Right... So Chinese not livin in Asia don't celebrate the Qing Ming eh? I forgot abt that. Where do u guys usually bury ur loved ones anyway? Do u guys have a special burial ground?
As far I know Chinese in Europe bury their loved ones in the western cemetary's? At best they add chinese names, symbols and sayings?
I would honour the tradition but then none of my ancestors are buried where I am now. So every time I visit Hong Kong I would visit their grave and catch up. Strange thing is, I remember the locations without my parents and relatives giving me directions.
I guess that counts as Yes u would honor it, since geographically, it's not fair to expect u to be able to do it yearly, but you would do it if you are able to.
OK, you can still celebrate the Qing Ming then. By going to the cemetary to pay ur respect during the festival period. If i am not mistaken, the period is within 3 weeks, and you can pick any day to do so. I guess in Western countries, you could just make it simple, bring some flowers etc. Not necessarily burning incense if you can't find any.
Yeah, but only if you have relatives buried there....Majority of my family is in HK, UK, Germany and a few in The Netherlands. And no one close to our family living outside HK died (yet) *knock on wood*
Yeah, well my Mum and her brother (UK) aren't really getting on very well since years (that's why I miss my cousin's wedding with a Japanese girl in Japan this May, I want to attend a traditional ceremonial Japanese wedding as outsiders aren't often have the honour to be invited!) and the German relatives we've visited often enough, in fact a cousin of mine is visiting us this summer with her German hubby and mixed little daughter!
man people here go all out for Qing Ming here in the states. It's kinda of a mix between traditional and western. I would prefer for it to remain simple and not do all that stuff with the pig, incense, burning and stuff.
Of course, this is one of the way to pay respect to the departed (once in a year) - not too much to ask for. My father passed away quite sometime ago and was cremated in another state. My whole family and I would make a trip everyyear. But then I had to miss it this year becoz i am in another country at the moment working.
what is cheng beng ??? never heard that phrase before but heard of qing ming..... i still practice qing ming traditions..... go cemetary n burn money n insents
Lol, didn't i put there aka (also known as) ? Cheng Beng is hokkien for Qing Ming (which is Cantonese)
^ Qing Ming Jie 清明节 is Mandarin.. not Cantonese. I go when my parents go. But im unfamiliar with all the rituals.
