KUCHING: Chinese families can finally celebrate Cheng Beng or Qing Ming festival – with relaxed standard operating procedures (SOP) this year as Sarawak entered into the endemic phase on April 1.
This has allowed more people to hold prayers and clean the graves of their ancestors as a sign of respect and to honour their deceased relatives.
An accountant, Esther Lim, told New Sarawak Tribune that she has always looked forward to observing the festival by cleaning the graves of her ancestors – together with relatives and family members.
“This is one of the major Chinese festivals that we can come together with, especially after two years of COVID-19 and several lockdowns. This allows us to strengthen our family bonds and treasure our loved ones,” she said.
“Although the festival falls on April 5 (today), the tomb-sweeping rituals could be performed two weeks before or after the date,” she said.
Lim said preparations began more than a week ago with the purchase of all the necessary praying paraphernalia such as red candles, joss sticks, paper offerings or gold notes and hell currency as well as other paper models, fresh fruits, among others.
“On the day itself, we would wake up at 5am and head to the cemetery where we would meet other relatives and family members – before we started to clean the graves and pray (hold prayers).”
Meanwhile, Nirvana Memorial Park, Executive Director, Siaw Chow Jin, said Chinese families would usually have flocked to Chinese cemeteries to perform their filial duties during the Qing Ming festival.
However, the festival was observed in a ‘quiet’ way due to various SOP in the past two years.
“This year, we are receiving a throng of family members – including some from Singapore and West Malaysia to visit the graves of their loved ones here. So far, everything is manageable and everyone is following the SOP such as wearing a mask and social distancing,” he said.
In 2020, it coincided with the nationwide Movement Control Order, forcing family members to cancel their plan to visit and clean the graves of their ancestors to curb the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, only eight family members were allowed to observe the festival at the cemeteries last year.
Last month, the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) announced to remove the limit on the number of attendees for non-Muslim houses of worship, including for those observing Qing Ming at the cemeteries, but physical distancing will still be required as the country transitions towards Covid-19 endemicity.
The SOP also stated face masks must be used and attendees must constantly wash and sanitise their hands, as well as avoid physical contact.
Siaw said Nirvana has advised and reminded all visitors to follow the SOP including to scan their Mysejahtera as well as wearing a mask.
“We also placed stricter control on our indoor columbarium. We limit the visitors entering indoors, so it is advisable to book earlier or to come at non-peak hours.”
Meanwhile, 688, a religious goods store 688 in Kuching, were offering a wide range of paper paraphernalia such as vaccines, face masks, as well as ‘COVID-19 package’ – were among the latest items or ‘gifts’ for families (to burn) for the deceased.
Its Executive Director, Teo Kiang Kuan said that traditionally, Qing Ming starts with a visit to the temple before proceeding to cleaning up graves of ancestors, placing offerings, worshiping the Earth God and ancestors.
Among the taboos include avoid eating during the praying process, do not spit, urinate or take pictures while pregnant women, patients and children were not encouraged to go to the cemetery or visit the grave.
