Open house for ancestors

Reunion feast: Lim (right) and his wife Yee Bee Keow (second right) with (from left) daughter Seow Fang, son Beng Huat, sister Ewe Bee and brother Eng San observing Qing Ming. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star.

GEORGE TOWN: While many prefer to observe Qing Ming at cemeteries, pensioner Lim Eng Hai has chosen a simple prayer ceremony at home to honour his ancestors.

Lim said the family has been carrying out this ritual annually as it was more convenient.

“Praying at home is more comfortable and it also serves as a family reunion of sorts for us.

“Besides, we also get to avoid the traffic jams leading to the cemetery grounds and columbaria,” added the 66-year-old.

Lim said cooking at home also helped save costs.

“My wife and my sister prepare dishes like jiu hu char (fried jicama with shredded cuttlefish), fried mee, prawn curry and fried vegetables.

“We have been doing this for years,” he said.

To avoid getting caught in traffic on Qing Ming, Lim said he and some of his family members went to spruce up his grandparents’ graves in the Sepuluh Kongsi Chinese cemetery in Relau last week.

After prayers, Lim said he “invited” his grandparents for another “feast” at his home in Batu Maung.

Businessman Jasper Ooi, 36, said his family offered food like sushi, fried mee, traditional kuih and other dishes to their ancestors during the festival.

With the high cost of living and price increase of items these days, many families cooked meals and bought only prayer paraphernalia.

“As my late grandfather loved Malay dishes, we also bought him some fish curry from Malay stalls,” he added.

Qing Ming, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, is a 2,500-year-old tradition where Chinese families clean grave sites to commemorate their ancestors.

The occasion is usually observed as early as 10 days before or after the actual date, which was yesterday.