Qingming Festival

4 Apr 2025

The Qingming festival is a very old Chinese tradition dating back 2500 years and is also known as the Tomb Sweeping Day where the tomb sites are swept clean and made to look fresh. This is a sacred tradition and a way to commemorate the life of those who passed away. Chanting of prayers along with the burning of joss sticks and joss papers are a part of the tradition which is followed by having a meal. With many families having migrated from their homeland, it is not always possible to visit the grave sites to perform these ceremonies. Now, many families have their urns placed in the temples. For those whose ancestors were buried overseas, they can also put up ancestral tablets in the temple for commemoration. This ceremony is a time of reflection and to honour and give thanks to our ancestors and paying respect to those who have recently passed away.