Secrets from the grave: Chinese family relics discovered under burial mound after heavy rain during Ching Ming Festival

A family of three was thrilled to uncover a bag of antiques under their late relatives’ burial mound during the Ching Ming festival, Chinese media reports.

A man, identified only by his surname Zheng, and his parents, spotted a white cotton bag in the soil at his grandfather’s grave while they were cleaning the area during the annual tomb-sweeping day in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, news portal Toutiao.com reported on Monday.

The bag contained objects including bowls, plates, watches and smoking pipes that appeared to have been buried there since the death of Zheng’s grandfather.

It had been raining heavily for several days in the area just before the family arrived at the site on their annual visit to say prayers and make traditional offerings to their deceased relatives.

The bag of relics had come to light only after flooding eroded an area of topsoil on the burial mound, the report said.