清明節

Today is  清明節 "Ching Ming Jit". 
The direct translation of Ching Ming Jit is Clear Bright Festival but more commonly known as Ching Ming Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day. 
It occurs yearly in the beginning of April. 
On this day it is a tradition for the Chinese to go to the cemetery and pay respect to their ancestors and 掃墓 "sou mou" which translate to sweep tomb. 


This year, like every year, my family went to the cemetery to pay respect to my late grandfather. 
We would bring with us lots of food as offerings, Chinese tea, wine, incense, candles and things to burn.
元寶,蠟燭,香 "Yun bou, lap juk, heung", the three main things to burn. "Money, candles, incense". 
This list is also used when cursing people like so 請你食元寶蠟燭香! "Cheng nei sik yeun bou lap juk heung!" meaning "treat you to eat money candles and incense!". This is used as a curse because these things are burnt for the dead people. 


金,銀,衣紙 "gam, ngan, yi jzi" which is "gold, silver, paper clothes" are also burnt. 
Traditionally, the Chinese would use tissue paper, or other similar types of thin coloured paper to cut out into a shirt and trousers. As time went by, these paper clothes can be bought ready made along with paper watches, shoes and even handbags!


The Chinese believe in afterlife, and the dead would receive items we burn for them. 


As well as going to the cemetery, traditional Chinese families would have alters in their houses for the 祖先 "jou seen" "ancestors" where they burn incense and offer fruit and/or cooked food such as chicken, pork and fish on special festivals, or if its the 1st or 15th of the Chinese lunar calendar. Along with the food, there is also 三茶五酒 "saam cha ng jau" "three (cups of) tea five (cups of) wine" which is a tradition to have when making offerings to the ancestors.