Time for Tomb—Sweeping
There are some time in my hometown that people must go to sweep their ancestors' tombs besides the rituals during funeral and in the 1st year after the funeral.
The 1st one is the Tomb-Sweeping Day (清明节), on April 5. On this day, descendants will all try to go home (usually in their hometowns) to sweep and worship their ancestors.
The 2nd one is the day before Spring Festival. People need to sweep ancestors' tomb and "take them home" to celebrate the Spring Festival.
The 3rd one is after a wedding. Wedding and funeral are considered as the Red Event and the White Event. Having a wedding means there is a new member coming to the family. Descendants must go to tell their ancestors so that they will know and bless this new member. The best way is to sweep their tombs with the new family member.
The 4th one is after a new baby born. This also means a new member coming to this family. This good news must be told to the ancestors so that they will know bless this new member. Of course, the best way is still to sweep their tombs.
The 5th one is on evening (before mid-night) the Ghost Festival on the 14th or 15th of the seventh lunar month. People don't go to the tombs on this day, but they burn paper money to their ancestors usually at the corners of the streets or on the crossings of the streets.
There are some time in my hometown that people must go to sweep their ancestors' tombs besides the rituals during funeral and in the 1st year after the funeral.
The 1st one is the Tomb-Sweeping Day (清明节), on April 5. On this day, descendants will all try to go home (usually in their hometowns) to sweep and worship their ancestors.
The 2nd one is the day before Spring Festival. People need to sweep ancestors' tomb and "take them home" to celebrate the Spring Festival.
The 3rd one is after a wedding. Wedding and funeral are considered as the Red Event and the White Event. Having a wedding means there is a new member coming to the family. Descendants must go to tell their ancestors so that they will know and bless this new member. The best way is to sweep their tombs with the new family member.
The 4th one is after a new baby born. This also means a new member coming to this family. This good news must be told to the ancestors so that they will know bless this new member. Of course, the best way is still to sweep their tombs.
The 5th one is on evening (before mid-night) the Ghost Festival on the 14th or 15th of the seventh lunar month. People don't go to the tombs on this day, but they burn paper money to their ancestors usually at the corners of the streets or on the crossings of the streets.
Activities for Tomb-Sweeping
There are some traditional activities when tomb sweeping. Burning hell money is surely the main one. Offering food and other items for daily life is another one. Sometimes people will fire fireworks. Because most of the activities are burning, this turned to be a serious problem of air pollution on every year's Tomb-Sweeping Day. Therefore Chinese government is trying to change people's old-fashioned mind about tomb sweeping that they must burn something by convincing them that bring flowers is also a good way for memorial, and burning hell money and offerings are really superstitious. Good news is many people are changing to this new style of tomb sweeping.
There are some traditional activities when tomb sweeping. Burning hell money is surely the main one. Offering food and other items for daily life is another one. Sometimes people will fire fireworks. Because most of the activities are burning, this turned to be a serious problem of air pollution on every year's Tomb-Sweeping Day. Therefore Chinese government is trying to change people's old-fashioned mind about tomb sweeping that they must burn something by convincing them that bring flowers is also a good way for memorial, and burning hell money and offerings are really superstitious. Good news is many people are changing to this new style of tomb sweeping.