Dating back 3,000 years, the practice of Ching Ming is still observed worldwide by Chinese families. Ching means "pure" or "clean"; ming means "brightness." The words together are applied to a Chinese tradition that helps explain why respect for elders is such an important part of the Chinese culture. Many Chinese believe that a person's good fortune or misfortune comes from his or her ancestors; that all departed ancestors still have the same physical needs they had when alive; and that the departed can assist their relatives on Earth.

Today, Ching Ming is celebrated every April 4 in Hawaii and involves the cleaning, repairing and replanting of ancestral gravesites. In Hawaii, the practice has a stronger presence than in other parts of the United States. Ceremonies involve preparing foods as a symbol of earthly possessions and laying them out on the grave. These foods may include fruit, rice, chicken, pork, cakes and tea. A meal may be eaten at the gravesite as a gesture of sharing with deceased relatives. Other customs include burning incense, offering prayers and burning symbolic paper. It is not necessarily a time of sadness, but one of reflection, remembrance and communion with past generations.

page 1 of 1

About Local Legacies