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Sweeping Ancestors’ Tombs  by Qiu Li Min
A s we walked along the muddy path from our Zhuang neighbors’ family home in their ancestral village into the surrounding
countryside, we were accompanied by about 20 members of their extended family carrying baskets and bags of food, firecrackers and other supplies. It was Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, and we had come along to see how the Zhuang observe the festival. Someone had also brought along a spade – what was he intending to dig up?
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Paying respects to their ancestors


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Adding a spadeful of earth to the tomb mound


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Offering money...


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...and clothes


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Beggar’s tomb


When we reached the first tomb, the family sprang into action – they were obviously very well-practiced! First, someone used the spade to clear away grass and weeds from the area in front of the tombstone, and candles were placed there and lit. Another person arranged offerings of waxed pig’s head, boiled chicken, fruits, glutinous rice and rice wine in front of the tomb. Yet another member of the family climbed onto the tomb mound with a thin tree branch, stuck it in the earth and tied on colored paper streamers, while another attacked the long grass with a sickle. Someone else set off a couple of firecrackers to ‘wake up’ the ancestors and inform them that the family had come to pay their respects.

When all had been prepared, the entire family assembled in front of the tomb, each holding at least three lit joss sticks. One of the male members gave the cue, and the family bowed three times to their ancestor, then stuck the joss sticks in the ground around the tomb. Each family member then dug a spadeful of soil from the surrounding area and added it to the top of the tomb mound. After that came the noisy part – firecrackers were set off, creating a cloud of smoke and a shower of paper fragments. While this was going on, stacks of paper (hell-bank) money, incense paper and paper clothes were burned in front of the tomb for the ancestor’s use in the other world. These rites were carried out at each of the six tombs they visited.

The family also performed rites at the Beggar’s Tomb just outside the village. This is the tomb of an unknown beggar but is famous locally as being efficacious in granting wishes, especially for success in business and education. There were many other people performing rites there too.

No family event among the Zhuang would be complete without a meal, and the family adjourned to a local restaurant to finish off the day, assured that they had dutifully provided for their ancestors for another year.