Qing Ming

Observance

	A typical Qing Ming table setting consists of food and floral offerings, incense, and the choy bow (left), imitation money which will be burned later.

Each Spring, many Chinese families observe and practice Qing Ming by visiting cemeteries where their ancestors are buried. Qing Ming means "Clear and Bright".   Unlike most Chinese festivals which follow the lunar calendar, Qing Ming is celebrated each year on April 5 in the Gregorian calendar. During Leap Year, Qing Ming occurs on April 4.

Qing Ming signifies the end of winter and the beginning of spring.   Often, many families plan their Qing Ming observance on a day when most family members can attend, for one's presence is indicative of his/her respect to their ancestors.   

The Qing Ming ceremony that is celebrated at the Manoa Chinese Cemetery since 2003 is free and open to the public and is co sponsored by the Hawaii Chinese Qing Ming Celebration Committee, The United Chinese Society of Hawaii, and Chinese Societies of Hawaii.   That ceremony is held annually on April 6 in order to allow the Lin Yee Chung Association, governing board of the Manoa Chinese Cemetery to have its celebration the day before.

Qing Ming is a practice associated with the Taoist religion, but today, has become a cultural tradition that is followed by Chinese of all religions and faiths throughout the world.   Closely aligned to Qing Ming is the concept of filial piety or honoring one’s ancestors.   Taoists believe that the spirits of their ancestors, in search of food, roam the cemetery each year during Spring.  Also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, Qing Ming is a time when  family members bring their garden tools to clean the grave site and decorate it with fresh flowers.   Firecrackers are lit at the beginning to pronounce the commencement of the ceremony. Traditional dishes as well as offerings of food, wine, and incense are prepared and brought to the cemetery.  Before the headstones, a feast is presented with the placement of five place settings of chopsticks, tea and wine cups.  At the center of each headstone family members place incense, red candles, red and gold flower and paper.   Chopsticks with brown resin tips (san jook) are placed to the right . Longevity incense sticks (Cheong Sau heong) are lit and set in the ground. Typically, chicken, pork, and fish, are the three meat dishes which symbolize heaven, earth, and ocean. Other food dishes are selected because they are homophonous in the Chinese language: Stewed oysters (hau see which sounds like good news), tofu (dau fu - abundant wealth), shrimp, mushroom, duck eggs, and duck. At the right side of the grave, an extra setting is placed for the San Ga, a spirit who is charged with protecting the grave. This meal consists of plain boiled pork and two unsalted duck eggs.

Beginning with the eldest male descendant, each male will bow three times (for happiness, prosperity, and longevity), before the headstones and will pour tea and wine on the ground. Females from eldest to youngest follow. After all family members have participated in the ritual, folded paper representing gold and silver ingots are burned. Firecrackers are lit once more to indicate the conclusion of the ceremony.

Qing Ming is more than an annual visit to the cemetery - It is a time for Chinese families to reaffirm their commitment to family traditions. It is a time for the younger people to learn the practice so that they too, can carry on the tradition with their own children. The future is indeed bright for the perpetuation of the observance of Qing Ming to be carried on.for many more generations.

Sources:

Wong, Harry C.Y. April 2004. 2nd Annual Hawaii Chinese Qing Ming Celebration.

Young, George C.K. “Qing Ming”, 2000.

Tenth Annual Qing Ming at Manoa Chinese Cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii

April 5, 2012

	Photos by Jeanette Young