Month: April 2005

Mommy’s birthday

Today is my Mommy’s birthday.

My mom has had quite an impact on me as a person.

I remember when I was still in South Africa having quite long conversations with my mom. She would always listen when I had something to say and I would do the same when she had something to say. I think she was definitely and influence on my temprement. I tend to just listen when others talk and don’t like to butt in too much.

My mom definitely had little shits as children (pardon my language). When I was young I was incredibly grumpy in the morning when I got up for school. I could always find something to complain about. I would either go to the kitchen to eat breakfast and complain that she hadn’t made my sandwiches yet, or I’d complain about the fact that all my school clothes were not in my cupboard. Then I’d randomly hit my brother for simply talking to me at the breakfast table.

Ahh, the memories.

At this point I would have to mention, that even though I was such a pain she still made me sandwiches in the morning until I finished University. Only a mother’s love I guess.

Sometimes my mom would not just take it from us, but we managed to “test her boundaries”. James learnt the hard way how much force it takes to break a spoon on someones bum. My mom broke it, not James.

And on my last trip back to South Africa, for my wedding, my mother got her team of ladies together and basically prepared a whole wedding without the bride and groom there. The team of ladies is another joke with my mom, as she’s keen on “process” when she does things, so often all of her friends are involved in the stuff she does.

So, I’d like to say thanks to my Mom for all the wonderful years.

A wonderful influence on me and my siblings, as well as a wonderful mother-in-law for my wife, who still phones her occassionally, and calls her Mom.

Thanks for everything mom.

Love you Mom, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Tomb sweeping day

Today is Tomb sweeping day, April the 4th is a public holiday. Here is all the low down on this long celebrated Chinese festival.

Celebrated two weeks after the vernal equinox, Tomb Sweeping Day is one of the few traditional Chinese holidays that follows the solar calendar– typically falling on April 4, 5, or 6. Its Chinese name “Qing Ming” literally means “Clear Brightness,” hinting at its importance as a celebration of Spring. Similar to the spring festivals of other cultures, Tomb Sweeping Day celebrates the rebirth of nature, while marking the beginning of the planting season and other outdoor activities.

Qing Ming Jie in Ancient Times
In ancient times, people celebrated Qing Ming Jie with dancing, singing, picnics, and kite flying. Colored boiled eggs would be broken to symbolize the opening of life. In the capital, the Emperor would plant trees on the palace grounds to celebrate the renewing nature of spring. In the villages, young men and women would court each other.

The Tomb Sweeping Day as Celebrated Today
With the passing of time, this celebration of life became a day to the honor past ancestors. Following folk religion, the Chinese believed that the spirits of deceased ancestors looked after the family. Sacrifices of food and spirit money could keep them happy, and the family would prosper through good harvests and more children.

Today, Chinese visit their family graves to tend to any underbrush that has grown. Weeds are pulled, and dirt swept away, and the family will set out offerings of food and spirit money. Unlike the sacrifices at a family’s home altar, the offerings at the tomb usually consist of dry, bland food. One theory is that since any number of ghosts rome around a grave area, the less appealing food will be consumed by the ancestors, and not be plundered by strangers.

Honoring Ancestors
Honoring ancestors begins with proper positioning of a gravesite and coffin. Experts in feng shui, or geomancy, determine the quality of land by the surrounding aspects of streams, rivers, trees, hills, and so forth. An area that faces south, with groves of pine trees creates the best flow of cosmic energy required to keep ancestors happy. Unfortunately, nowadays, with China’s burgeoning population, public cemetaries have quickly surplanted private gravesites. Family elders will visit the gravesite at least once a year to tend to the tombs.

While bland food is placed by the tombs on Qing Ming Jie, the Chinese regularly provide scrumptious offerings to their ancestors at altar tables in their homes. The food usually consists of chicken, eggs, or other dishes a deceased ancestor was fond of. Accompanied by rice, the dishes and eating utensils are carefully arranged so as to bring good luck. Sometimes, a family will put burning incense with the offering so as to expedite the transfer of nutritious elements to the ancestors. In some parts of China, the food is then eaten by the entire family.

Kites
Besides the traditions of honoring the dead, people also often fly kits on Tomb Sweeping Day. Kites can come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors. Designs could include frogs, dragonflies, butterflies, crabs, bats, and storks.