Cheng Beng-The festival of the tombs


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Asia » Malaysia » Wilayah Persekutuan » Kuala Lumpur
April 1st 2006
Published: April 1st 2006
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The altar tableThe altar tableThe altar table

Candles, joss-sticks, food and drinks are offered.

Chinese practice a range of religious and cultural festivals that go back a long way. Over the years, traditions associated with such festivals are handed down from generation to generation within practicising communities, with very little changes introduced. One of such major events that marks the Chinese Calendar is Cheng Beng-the day to honour the departed ancestors and immediate family members.

Today, I had to make a special effort to visit my mother, who passed away 5 years ago, in Nilai Memorial Park. Her ashes were put in an urn in an air-conditioned columbrium.

I don't exactly enjoy practising this tradition as it is not entirely spritual and certainly a very environmentally hazardous tradition indeed. I missed mum a lot but I believe if I want to visit her, I should be able to do so anytime of the year and not just on certain days. Besides, it doesn't make sense to light the candles, burn some papers or offer meat to a departed. Even though it's merely a symbolic practice it's still a huge turn off to me. Ideally, I'd love to just bring flowers to her grave and then maybe have a short chit-chat about updates.
Driving into Nilai Memorial ParkDriving into Nilai Memorial ParkDriving into Nilai Memorial Park

The place was jam packed with people and cars!


Anyway,there are also many people who blindly follow a tradition without seeking to understand the meaning of it. Having said that, there are also many people, like my dad, practise it out of respect for the culture. Those who don't carry on the tradition are seen as deviants of the Asian culture. Yes-it is a cultural practice instead of religious practice. Many people think that it's a Buddhist ritual while Buddhism has never mentioned any of such activities in context of honouring the dead.

It was an exciting day today because I try to put myself in the shoes of a foreigner and viewed the whole scene. I guess if I wasn't living in the country, I'd have thought while these people show utmost respect and fillial piety for departed members of the family, the things they do to express their respect is weird.

People gave me funny looks when I started taking photographs. I wish then, I'd look like a tourist, so that it would excuse me from being rude. Anyway, I tried to step away from taking images of people on purpose.


Additional photos below
Photos: 13, Displayed: 13


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Communication in the memorial parkCommunication in the memorial park
Communication in the memorial park

They needed a banner for announcement.
Look at the cars!Look at the cars!
Look at the cars!

Nilai Memorial Park needs a bigger carpark.
Now look at the people!Now look at the people!
Now look at the people!

Everyone prays at this place first before moving on to the specific places where the departed lies..
The ice-cream manThe ice-cream man
The ice-cream man

He's generating a huge revenue today..
Onward to the columbrium..Onward to the columbrium..
Onward to the columbrium..

The word "columbarium" derives from the Latin "columbary," which is a structure provided for the nesting of doves — a dovecote; the related word, columbarium, refers to a burial vault for the containment of urns holding cremated human remains.
Zooming into the array of foodZooming into the array of food
Zooming into the array of food

Some families get very creative with their offerings..
Burning incense papersBurning incense papers
Burning incense papers

We skipped that part..didn't think it was necessary to contribute to the already polluted air of KL!
Light a joss stickLight a joss stick
Light a joss stick

Can't avoid this part though..:(
House of the urnsHouse of the urns
House of the urns

It's air-conditioned..
The different compartmentsThe different compartments
The different compartments

Every square lies an urn of the departed...to look for a specific person, go through the names on top of each square
My mumMy mum
My mum

I'd always remember her wacky self-not the serious photo as was shown on her compartment


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