Sembahyang Kubur Tradition

Sembahyang kubur (Cheng Beng) is one of a special tradition of Tionghoa that has been known since the era of  Ming dynasty. Cheng Beng is an activity where people go to their own family graves, bring things that need to do some kind of ritual there at the certain day. It is a kind of respect to ancestors and as a moment for praying to child and grandchild for a better and happier life. Chen Beng usually does by Tionghoa which has a religious as Buddha, Taoisme, Khonghucu. It is done two times a year; at second month and seventh month in lunar calender. The main important  thing from this ritual is Xao Moh (cleaning grave).Usually, Tionghoa do the ritual at 4 in the morning. In addition, the things used are incenses, candle, tea, many kind of fruit such as, orange, pear, apple, grape, pineapple, and so on; cake, clothes and money made from paper. And the clothes and money made from paper, yellow paper, etc; will be burned at the end of the ritual.





History of Sembahyang kubur
One time, at the era of Ming Dynasty, there was a child named Cu Guan Ciong which come from poor family. To take care and teach him,  his parents asked for help from a temple. When he was adult, his life was became better as he became a Caesar. Being a Caesar, he backed to his hometown to visit his parents. However, his parents had died and he did know where they resting place are. Then, to find out his parents graves, he commanded to all of his citizens to visit their ancestors’ grave and clean it. Besides that, he also commanded to give a sign, yellow papers on the graves.
After all citizens did that, Caesar checked each of the graves in the village and he found some graves are not cleaned and are given the signs. He did that kind of thing as a form of his respect for his parents. So from that, it becomes a tradition for people until now.