Monday, April 07, 2008

Ching Ming

Sometimes I like this more than CNY. It's a ritual to go back to Ipoh every year around Apr-4th to 5th. Then we proceed to Kampar to my dad's grandfather's tomb then to his grandma. Last year and this year was just (last year andrew went with me) and my parents. Thereafter we usually head back to Ipoh for some great bites. Ahhhhhhhh, Ipoh is the love of my life.

The next day is usually a drive to Teluk Intan to visit my grandma, granddad, granduncle and grandauntie, their tombs are just side by side. It's usually chaotic, because it's a reunion for us cousins and my mom and her cousins. Chaos. Laughter. And a feast of course. Usually we are sitting there eating eats from Kampar, Teluk Intan, Bidor.
Well this year's a bit different, I actually got to visit my mom's grandfather's grave. It's a Hainanese rule that women in our family are not allowed to visit his grave...somehow, my very open-minded late grandmother abolished that rule a long time ago.

And of course, usually this time, my mom's side loves to tell stories. It used to by my late uncle's job until he passed away few years back. Everyone took turns telling stories under the hot blazing sun. My cousin and I were fidgetting endlessly trying to avoid the sun. It was a good time for me to catch up with my little cousin who used to stay with me a long time ago.

Then after that, we usually head to Fun's place. Fun and family is a close family friend of ours. She and the brother used to stay with us in Ipoh. I swear when i was a kid, i thought they were my cousins....1st because they stayed with us, 2nd because no one bothered to explain to me and my twin sis anyway since we were only kids. She stayed with us when i was much older during her chambering stint. Only then did i know the truth. Hahahaha.

Well, it's chee cheong fun time at her place. Her family's the Anson Chee Cheong Fun fellas, so we usually book and feasted on 40 pieces yesterday. It used to be 100pcs, but there weren't many ppl left now (the young ones have gone overseas, and the old ones have left us).

I dunno, I love ching ming. I can't understand why some christians do not believe in ching ming, avoid the joss-sticks, and not feast on the food we used for prayers. I think it's great to attend anyway to pay your respects. we can believe in the whims of Santa Claus, and magic , why not this. :) Happy ching ming everyone.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear, you not gonna believe this but the Christian cemetery at cheras was full of chinese people paying respect to the dead ones.....

we are chinese after all. SOme of our ancestors are not christian hence we go to their tomb during Ching Ming.

BabyBandit said...

u love qing ming coz it's just another excuse for our family to get together, yak n eat. Most ppl just go n pray and cabut...

no one does it quite like us.hhehehe

Anonymous said...

We go to visit our ancestor's tomb on Ching Ming too. It's just that we don't use the joss-sticks as part of the ritual. We will usually clean the tomb, have prayers and sometimes, some may sing hymns. :) Instead of "serving" our ancestors with food, we present them with flowers and our prayers.

and by the way... Santa and Magic are not part of Christianity. :p

Ijaa Night said...

hahaha which cousin could that be... little cousin who used to stay with you? :P:P

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