Cheng Beng (Qing Ming)

Cheng Beng (or QingMing) observed by Chinese communities worldwide is equivalent of All Souls Day which is a major event in the Chinese calendar and falls on April 5 every year (April 4 if it falls on a leap year)

Cheng Beng refers to a time the Chinese communities go outside and enjoy the greenery and tend to the graves of the departed family members and ancestors. The graves are normally weeded and cleared prior to the date by the caretakers of the graveyard. The relatives praying would before that sweep the tombs, before offering flowers, food (e.g. red buns, roast pig, local sweets, cakes etc.), tea, wine and joss paper accessories. Joss paper accessories comes in all shapes where it is finally burnt together with hell notes and according to legend, burning these items sends these items straight to them.

Some Chinese would place willow branches on their gates or main front door to ward off evil spirits during the Cheng Beng period. It is also believe that the date signify the best time for young couple to start courting.

Besides, it is also believed that we could not call out names while we were in the graveyard because there a belief that the spirits will haunt the person whose name were mentioned.

In Malaysia, the prayers can be done 10 days before or after the actual date and majority of relatives from out of town pay their respects earlier to avoid the crowd on the actual day. The highways leading out of town/city would face heavy traffic including roads leading to the graveyards. It would be a festival like atmosphere during the particular day.

In Melaka, the Jelutong, Ayer Molek and Cheng Chinese burial grounds would face with heavy crowd and most people make their way to the graveyards early in the morning to obtain parking and enjoy the serenity of the calm graveyard environment.

Being a leap year, April 4 falls on a Friday and most family members would look forward to extend their stay outside KL till the weekend. Melaka town is expected to face a convergence of Melaka born heading there to offer their prayers to their deceased family members or ancestors.