Cheng Beng

Cheng Beng, also known as Qingming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day falls on April 5 of the Gregorian calendar. Cheng Beng is a time when many activities take place. The main activity is tomb sweeping. Cleaning the tomb and paying respect with offerings are the most important parts of remembering and honouring our ancestors. Burning of incense and paper money is to ensure that our ancestors are not lacking of food and money. These rites have a long tradition in Asia, especially among farmers. The Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore take this festival seriously and observe the traditions faithfully. Some of the Cheng Beng rituals and ancestral reverence in Malaysia and Singapore can be dated back to Ming and Qing dynasties.