Qing Ming Festival (清明节) which is usually known as the Tomb/Grave Sweeping Day in English, falls on 4th April (or the 9th day of the 3rd lunar month) this year. It is another Chinese festival celebrated by many Chinese, especially Taoists and Buddhists to remember their ancestors. Although the festival falls on 4th April 2009, many Chinese started paying respect to their ancestors at cemeteries or columbaria from 20th March. (i.e. the Chinese celebrate the festival from 20th March till 4th April).
Every year, we visit Mount Vernon Columbarium to pay respect to my ancestors.
Notice displayed at the Columbarium during Qing Ming Festival
As only vegetarian food can be offered, my chef prepare some vegetarian dishes like vegetarian noodles, vegetarian meat and vegetarian dumplings (kuehs) and also bought some vegetarian BBQ meat (char siew) buns.
Vegetarian BBQ Meat Buns
Every year, we visit Mount Vernon Columbarium to pay respect to my ancestors.
Notice displayed at the Columbarium during Qing Ming FestivalAs only vegetarian food can be offered, my chef prepare some vegetarian dishes like vegetarian noodles, vegetarian meat and vegetarian dumplings (kuehs) and also bought some vegetarian BBQ meat (char siew) buns.
Vegetarian BBQ Meat Buns
During this 2 weekends, the temples are going to be so jammed packed!
ReplyDeleteIt's party time for the ancestors as what my niece says.
I love the bao, wanna share some?
ReplyDeleteThat looks very nice !!!
ReplyDeleteI would like to enjoy and celebrate it with you ;)
Usually we will try to go to the columbarium as early as possible. Otherwise, it will be packed with people.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you do with the food? just leave them there or bring it back afterwards and eat them?
ReplyDeletethat looks delicious! do you get to eat them, too?
ReplyDeleteI love those meat buns, in the Philippines, we called it Siopao :D
ReplyDeleteI hope you have time to visit my entry here and here. It's my first time to have two entries.
I just did my visit to my grandpa grave on last Saturday...
ReplyDeleteYes, busy visiting ancestors and making offerings. The cemeteries are packed. :P
ReplyDeleteThat vegetarian char siu bun looks so yummy! To think that it's not even meat! Thanks for the info. As a Christian all my life, I know practically nothing about Buddhism or Taoism. :-)
ReplyDeletein the PI we call those siopao :) yumm
ReplyDeleteYummy! I tasted one like this but with meat and egg inside. I think they call it siopao. come visit my entry here http://kcelebration.blogspot.com/search/label/weekend%20snapshot
ReplyDeleteI gotta hand it to you, I learned something today :) I so into vegetarian dishes, especially when it comes to Chinese cooking.
ReplyDeletewe call it siopao here in the Philippines and i find it so yummy:)
ReplyDeleteQing Ming...I remember that! I used to go with my then husband to visit his dad's grave during Qing Ming. His mom would prepare loads of food and the family would eat the day away. Thailand's chinese population celebrates a similar festival date with yours. Thanks for sharing your snapshots.
ReplyDeleteVeggie meat buns I should try one of these days. They aren't available in neighborhood supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a good tradition.
ReplyDeleteGreat food shots!
ReplyDeleteThey look yummy, though made of vegetables... because usually if it's veggies, not so tasty.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing about this interesting tradition. It's a good way to honor the departed.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had the chance to try a vegetarian bun...is it good?
ReplyDelete