Man offers paper bicycles each Qing Ming
GEORGE TOWN: He last saw his father 82 years ago, but the faint memory of his dad leaving for work on a bicycle has stayed with Hee Yok San.
To keep that memory alive, Hee, now 87, buys a joss paper bicycle to burn each year during Qing Ming (Chinese All Souls’ Day).
He was only five years old when his father tragically died in an accident.
“I do not remember much about him, not even what he did for work, but I do remember him leaving for and returning from work on a bicycle.
“Others burn paper cars and luxury items, but my father did not have a driving licence, so it is best to get him a bicycle,” Hee said with a laugh when met at a columbarium along Jalan Mount Erskine on Sunday.
The retired goldsmith also offered joss paper shirts and shoes for his father, as well as more elaborate shoes for his mother, who died of cancer 30 years ago.
“My wife and I also prepare food for them, usually dishes we enjoy and think they might like.
“I had two sisters who used to join me every year, but they have since passed on.
“I will continue to offer prayers for them until I join them,” Hee said.
Retiree Lee Sze Sing, 80, visited his parents’ grave with 22 family members, continuing a family tradition observed for decades.
His parents had nine children, and the family has since grown to over 60 people, though some live overseas.
Every year, Lee sends messages in their family group chat, urging them to come if they are in Penang.
"This year, 23 of us from multiple generations are here.
“Despite having little, my parents were good and doted on us,” he said when met at a cemetery along Jalan Mount Erskine.
Lee said his wife and sister cooked vegetarian dishes as offerings and bought various kuih as sweet treats for his parents.
“They were from China, and my father worked as a cook earning RM30 in the 1940s, so they didn’t have much.
"We bought fancy ‘branded joss clothes’, jewellery, up-to-date gadgets and other fun items so they can enjoy good things.
"No matter what we buy, I make sure to burn make-up powder for my mother and cigarettes for my father,” he added.
Lee said it is important to go to the burial ground and pray, as it shows that their parents are always remembered.
“Four of my siblings have passed on, so it’s important for the rest of us to show up.
"After praying, we head out for breakfast together before going about our day,” he added.
Qing Ming, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival dedicated to honouring ancestors.
It falls on the 15th day of the Spring Equinox (April 5 this year), but families can choose any of the 10 days before or after to pay their respects at cemeteries or columbaria.
