Dive, abseil, hike: China ancestor worshippers go extra mile to pay respect during tomb-sweeping festival
- Annual visit to ancestors’ graves takes on new, challenging dimensions
- Difficult to reach tombs in remote areas are chosen for feng shui reasons
You might think a visit to a dead relative’s grave would be a solemn occasion, but that is not the case for residents in some parts of rural China.
Ancestor worshipping rituals in some of the country’s southern provinces during the Ching Ming Festival, have been dubbed “survival training in the wild” due to the difficulty of reaching the gravesites.
The purpose of the annual event, which is also known as the Tomb Sweeping Festival, is to visit and clean ancestors’ graves to show respect and pray for blessings.
Residents in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, in rural southern China, are determined to overcome obstacles on the challenging terrain, such as rugged mountains, riverbeds, and caves, the Guangxi Daily reported.
Many tombs are in remote areas and are difficult to access, but the locations were carefully chosen based on feng shui. These includes hillsides, beside streams and sunny spots. It is widely believed that a tomb with good feng shui will bring fortune to the family.
Since the beginning of March, internet users from the three provinces have been sharing their gravesite experiences, describing them as physically challenging, the report said.