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blues..
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Apr 6, 2015

இ QingMing清明节

Yesterday (05April2015) marked the official day for celebrating QingMing festival, one of the Four Major Traditional Chinese Festivals, observed by the Chinese community of the Daoist/Buddhist faith. Phrases (in Cantonese) like ‘Where and when you gonna ‘haang Qing行清’ ? lit. *'walk Qing' are pretty common these two weeks. What is this Qing all about?

清明节 QingMing Jie lit. translated as ‘clear’ (Qing) & ‘bright’ (Ming) festival or tomb sweeping day which usually falls on 4 - 5 April each year, celebrated either 10 days before or 10 days after the official QingMing day.

This festival originated in the 7th century BC, started by an accidental tragedy set upon by the Duke Wen (pinyin: 晋文公) of Jin himself who was so overwhelmed with grief of his lost friend and subject Jie Zitui (pinyin: 介之推) in a forest fire. The Duke created the Hanshi Festival (pinyin: 寒食节 or Cold Food day) to commemorate the loyalty of his subject Jie Zhitui. Another version of QingMing Festival involved the Tang Emperor, Xuanzong in 732 who was well known for his frugality as not to indulge in extravagant ceremonies in Tomb Sweeping Day or Ancestors Worship Day. Gradually over the years the practice was adopted by the masses throughout different eras and  eventually combination of both traditions, the Hanshi and Tomb Sweeping Day into the QingMing Festival and kept as a one-day festival.



Across the globe, they commemorate their ancestors by sprucing up the graveyard, sweeping the tombs, removing weeds, burning incense and paper money including the high-tech paper stuff like mobile phone, tablet etc. The Chinese society places great emphasis towards filial piety and has high regards of remembering its roots. In Chinese mythology there is this 三魂七魄 *pinyin: sān hún qī pò* ~ three immortal souls and seven mortal forms. Perhaps another great opportunity for a future post on sānhúnqīpò? Setback is, as a Bananaz (who cannot read and write Chinese), the ever loving friendly dumb professor Mr Google is not able to provide a clear translation on the seven mortal forms. It may take awhile to get the right source and translation. Coming back to the three immortal souls ~ when someone dies, the 1st soul goes to meet Yanluowang 閻羅王, the god of death and the ruler of Hell who is also the judge who passes judgment on all the dead, the 2nd soul goes to the the grave and the 3rd soul goes to the ancestral pedestal/tablet (pinyin:神主牌 shénzhǔpái) placed at the ancestor’s hall, house or temple. Most importantly regardless of wherever the soul is, one thing for sure QingMing is able to enhance the togetherness of the entire family members as an outing at the cemetery year after year.

Image courtesy of Sin Chew Daily
Changes happening in China..A new high-tech way of inscribing QR code onto the Tombstone head, a picture paints a thousand words...!!!Anyway in this modern era most memorial parks are pretty well organised and orderly, practically sweeping of tombs are kept to the minimal as they are well maintained.



Online services are available too through internet memorial services for QingMing catering mainly for those who are too busy with work or staying too far away from home. Quite strange to hear people whining about the long traffic jam when going to cemetery for QingMing as it is only once in a year affair but seldom hear complains of traffic jam or long queues at shopping cash counters every week or months. Life is like that?


(Thanks to Twilight Man for all the encouraging words thus sweeping away the dirt & clearing the cloudy weed of returning to blogging after MIA for 8 months. Lucky for Bananaz who somehow survived the gruesome 5 hours left, right and center deep frying by Twilight Man haha.) 

53 Bunchesஇ:

lina said...

Wah... indeed so hi-tech. Even have QR code.

I guess it's good that tradition can be mixed with technology?

Welcome back Bananaz!

[SK] said...

What a coincidence my first "commentable" post for April 2015 after 2 days MIA is about QingMing too haha!!! :D

[SK] said...

indeed!!! everything has become so high-tech now and i am truly impressed!!! and the offerings are even more advanced than what we have here, eg: iPhone 7 and SK-III~~ :p

ChrisAu said...

hahaha...... the religious shops are laughing their way to the banks...
I also had ching ming yesterday.

suituapui said...

Everyone came home - the roads here were jam-packed. A trip that would usually take me 10 mins...took me over an hour...and it had been like that for a few weekends prior to the actual day - some did it earlier...like Annie, she took advantage of the school holidays to come back to Sibu to do it.

Twilight Man said...

Oh well, I didn't know my words could be so powderful to move a banana tree to grow up and bear fruits again. Muahahahaha

Twilight Man said...

This Qing Ming story is indeed interesting and I enjoyed watching both the video clips! They are so enlightening and educational for me as now it confirms that China observes a 3 day public holiday! I wrote such lengthy comments in SK's blog before coming to watch your VDO here.

Their graves are so neat and nice. I should say our country is catching up with their culture and funeral procedures which is a big business there to honour and respect the departed ones.

On a funny note, I knew the meanings of Qing & Ming separately but never coined them together.

wenn said...

welcome back..long time no see..

Tekkaus said...

I think Ching Ming...has been commercialized...haih...

Tekkaus said...

But well....of course we sometimes have to follow the new trends. :p

Lrong Lim said...

Very educational post... in Japan, the same situation occurs during the all souls day... traffic jam here and there...

Small Kucing said...

welcome back Bananaz.

Wei...the font color can darker a hit ka? I am 老人家。眼睛模糊了。 Hard to read leh :p

Small Kucing said...

interesting. I thought last time they burn all the belongings of the one who pass away hence practice till now

Yannie said...

Ten days before and ten days after, one more weekend to complete Qing Ming festival. Today and tomorrow will be the last round of crowd in my hometown. Meeting my KL cousins tonight. They are back for Qing Ming, and then Taiping will be back to quiet and peaceful again.

Merryn said...

Wow Bananaz is back! Survived flying and the frying oso. Welcome back online :)

TZ said...

I seldom missed QingMing but this year, due to my MBA class. I have to say sorry to my Grandparent for not being able to pay them a visit... Sigh~

HappySurfer said...

I enjoyed the videos, Bananaz. Thank you for sharing them.

LOL what you said about people whining about the jam even though it's once a year. But then again, it can get really bad esp if one has to travel all the way, say to Nirwana in Semenyih. I think the key is to choose the right time afterall there's the 10-days-before-and-10-days-after window. Thank Buddha for that. :D

Welcome back.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

lina இ tQ & sorry for the late reply, not able to follow thru to gather momentum. Guess people wanna be different to make full use of technology.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

SK இ QingMing gone for a month and now only response aiya sorry bro. Wonder when the oniine thingy can catch up in Malaysia? You can start one actually can max your talent with html and superb scripteasing.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

ChrisAu இ Sorry for the delay. Yeah indeed more extras 'invented' more revenues churned up.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

suituapui இ 1001 apologies. 10 days before & after so can pick and choose the most off peak day & time instead of joining the jam on Sunday. I went on a weekday to one of the popular memorial park not for QingMing but to see how bad the jam was. Smooth like silk no jam infact not much traffic at all.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Twilight Man இ This was the second time you 'kicked' my butt & set it on fire. Sorry took too longggg a time to response. Clear & bright huh! Nowadays most memorial parks are orderly, trend has changed no more those hopping over graves.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

wenn இ tQ hope to keep the fire burning and frying with ease. Sorry it took a month to get fire started here haha

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Tekkaus இ Practically biz ideas will push tot he max. Just like any other events Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or Lou Sang etc opportunists know when to make a 'kill'

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Lrong Lim இ tQ & sorry for coming late. Oh Japan faced the same jam too. Guess in any big celebration all over the globe would have the same challenge.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Small kucing இ tQ & paiseh going in snail speed. Appreciate your suggestion on the font color shall keep that in mind. Wonder how to set it by default.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Yannie இ Some positive people would observed the day as getting together among family members. Once both parents are no longer around chances of siblings meeting would be lesser. So QingMing is a good bonding event. Paiseh took me ages to response.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Merryn இ tQ yup survived all the 'torture' haha. Hope to get back full speed & apologize am moving too slow.

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

TZ இ Good for you for seldom missed QingMing as Bananaz is the reversed always missed. Sorry missed the time in response

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

HappySurfer இ tQ & paiseh got 'jammed' did not make it here soon enough. On the contrary going there on a weekday is smooth like silk. Got a relative who went to one memorial park along the highway last year on a Sunday and faced a 3 km jammed at the highway itself before he could turn into the memorial park. So this year he went on a Friday ta da..no traffic.

HappySurfer said...

Good morning, Bananaz! What a beautiful Saturday morning today, yes? Have a wonderful blue-skies-and-all-things-nice day today. Cheers!

Amelia said...

Hi Bananaz,welcome back. Hope all is well at your side.

Have a great day ahead, regards
Amelia

Unknown said...

贊!國中命題光碟

HappySurfer said...

Hello Bananaz! How's the going? Happy 'relaxing' July!

Lee said...

Hi Bananaz, how you doin'? Its me Lee. Hope this finds you well.
Best regards from Canada.
Lee.

HappySurfer said...

Hulloooo Bananaz! Happy hazy Monday to you! *cough*

HappySurfer said...

Hello there Bananaz, how have you been?
Bezee like the beez still?

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

HappySurfer in the midst of coming up with a new post, preparing the fire now frying something pretty soon hehe

HappySurfer said...

Hello Bananaz, Happy New Year to you! Trust you are starting the new year fabulously..

HappySurfer said...

Wei-wei, 12 moons have come and gone, wor, since your last post. Thank you though for still coming by. *Like*

இ Baŋäŋaz இ said...

Wheelchair@tQ sorry being out of rhythmn lately no momentum

Hi Happy Surfer@Bananaz half dead weather too hot almost deep fried already haha...still struggling to catch up time. Sorry 1001 apologies for not be active lately

Small Kucing said...

saw your comment in anay's blog. i thought you start blogging again. Have a nice day

netster said...

Hey there! long time no see :D still writing bro?

Unknown said...

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Small Kucing said...

beep beep have a good day

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