Friday, April 4, 2008

QingMing (Tomb Sweeping) Festival

The Chinese schedule of holidays has changed this year. Previously, there were two week long holidays (October 1 National Day and May 1 Labor Day), one two week holiday (Chinese New Year) and several holidays that were observed, but no scheduled time off. Starting this year, the government slashed the October 1 and May 1 holidays to one/two day events and added days off for some of the more popular folk holidays so that traditions can be maintained. Now there is a three/four day weekend almost every month (similar to the US holiday system). Tomb Sweeping day was observed today by families honoring their departed members by burning fake money and paper "clothes" (to send to the afterlife) and by cleaning the cemetary plots. It's a time for family to get together and share memories. Not too many people are buried in China anymore. There's hardly any room for the living, let alone room for burial.

At the bus stop waiting to board to go tomb sweeping - not!


Here's a big no-no in the U.S. Oh, the bad, bad habits we have formed!


After the stop at Carrefour, we enjoyed ice cream, coffee and the playscape at our favorite Dico's:

1 comment:

Majewski Family said...

We would love to come and share some of that ice cream with you!