Cheng Meng Day, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, sometimes called Chinese Memorial Day or Ancestors’ Day, is a traditional Chinese festival observed by the Han of Mainland China and their descendants. The event takes place in many parts of the world, including Thailand.
This year the festival was observed on April 4 when Thais of Chinese ancestry travelled to many parts of the country to pay homage at the tombs of their ancestors who had once lived and worked there.
Fortunately, during Cheng Meng this year, the Covid-19 situation had eased, encouraging a large number of Thai-Chinese people to travel to the Sawang Boriboon Foundation Chinese cemetery in Banglamung district to perform the ceremonies.
The activities began a couple of days earlier when families met at their ancestors’ gravesite to clean the tombstones and the surrounding area.
On the actual day, offerings of food, fruits and sweets were made to pay homage to their ancestors while prayers were chanted over their graves.
Jeerapan Kerdrasameekul, a Thai of Chinese ancestry said, “Every year during Chen Meng, I bring my family here to pay homage to our ancestors. I want my children to learn and understand the culture and traditions of our ancestors so that they in turn will pass on the memory of their forefathers to their children.”
Jeerapan further observed, “Thai-Chinese families have moved to many parts of the country and only get a chance to see each other at these annual reunions. At first I thought that, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, not many people would go on this pilgrimage. But as the situation was slightly relieved, I am pleased to see that the cemetery is quite busy with families of all ages having a happy memorial day.”
