HONG KONG: MOURNING: TOMB SWEEPING DAY (QING MING)

(5 Apr 1999) English/Nat
Thousands of people throughout Hong Kong have been observing a Chinese festival.
Monday marks Qing Ming, or grave sweeping day, when traditionally the dead are mourned and ancestors worshipped.
APTN visited one cemetery where people gathered to perform individual rituals according to the traditions of the festival.
Thousands of Hong Kong residents visit the graves of their ancestors to mark the festival.
Here at Cape Collinson Chinese permanent Cemetery, many arrived with bags full of paper offerings and flowers to honour the dead.
At the entrance contributions were made to the street gods to protect their ancestors.
Inside, at the gravesides of their relatives, incense is burnt and food and fruit are offered.
Observers of the festival leave Chinese delicacies such as roast pig.
They believe the dead can still enjoy a taste of their favourite dishes, and experience things as they did in life.
And it's not just food that's believed to be enjoyed.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We suppose our ancestors can receive what we burn for them, like
there are paper-made clothes and some of paper money. This time you see me, I burn a cigarette because my ancestor is a smoker. So I burn and I expect he can get it."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, man
Not wanting to deprive a relative of Hong Kong's most wanted accessory, another man offered a mobile phone made of paper for a grandfather who died fifty years ago.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Because my grandfather died about fifty years (ago). (I have) No feeling but must have to do (this)."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox pop, man
The Qing Ming tradition of showing respect for ancestors is one that has been handed down from generation to generation for thousands of years.
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[@easonlau6138]

Qingming festival is the observance where Chinese pray for their ancestors.

[@darrent6814]

That tomb is made of walls!😂😂😂