CHING MING AT GOPENG

Ching Ming season is here. The actual date for this year is today, April 4th. According to ancient Chinese customs, visiting the graves of ancestors would be only appropriate ten days before and 10 days after the actual date. That means it should begin on 25th March and end on 14 April 2015. This festival is carried out for the descendants to remember and honour their ancestors at their burial sites. Quite a number of people would choose to carry out the veneration earlier or later to avoid the crowd. Also the graves of the departed ancestors should be venerated according to order of seniority, the great grandparents first, then the parents and so on. Also the paternal side of the ancestors should come first.  In my case, the ancestors are buried at three different locations.  So I will start by going to Gopeng where my paternal great grandparents, grandparents and grandaunts are buried.  Then I go and pay respect to my maternal grandparents and my maternal grandaunt whose remains are interned at Sam Poh Caves.  Finally, I go to Paradise Memorial to venerate my late parents. The Chinese believe that the future generations will be blessed as their forefathers are honoured. 

So this year, flu or not, I had to climb up a steep hill with my influenza wreaked body to carry out my filial duty to my paternal ancestors by going for Ching Ming in Gopeng. I was so unwell that I forgot the candles. I had to beg forgiveness from all the deceased Cheahs. This year was merrier as my cousin Lay Yin and her husband, Vincent joined Thim Fook, Christine, Ivan and I.