Qingming is an annual Chinese tradition of honoring our ancestors. This past weekend, we went to the graveyard to honor my Chinese grandmother. It's a very ritualistic experience that starts with the presentation of food, symbolically. We offer our prayers, pour tea and/or whiskey near the grave, then offer more prayers. Next, we burn simulated money, which we call "hell notes". The significance, or so I'm told, is to give our ancestors money to keep them out of hell. Next, we pop fireworks, presumably to ward off the bad spirits.
It's a fun tradition, gives us an opportunity to get together with family and reminisce about grandma, and keeps our culture alive.
On the thought of keeping our culture alive, I watched a video of "The Oldest Dim Sum in San Francisco", and laughed when the host talked about making potstickers on New Years and wearing bread on their faces with holes cut out while cutting onions to prevent crying. Then I thought about how Qingming, Moon Festival and Chinese New Year are the three cultural practices we enjoy, and how I don't know enough about the meaning behind them, nor do we have fun traditions like that.
For Chinese New Year next year, I think we'll make potstickers with bread masks. I also think it would be fun to pound mochi on New Year's Eve to keep our Japanese culture alive.
Culture and traditions are very important in establishing your identity, and I think I need to cultivate this more in my kids.
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