Afterlife necessities: Teoh showing the ‘shower and face kit’ and wallet she bought as offerings for her father to mark the Qing Ming Festival, at the Batu Gantung crematorium in George Town, Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
Families bring tech items among others for loved ones to mark Qing Ming
GEORGE TOWN: Salesperson Helen Teoh lost her father to illness over 20 years ago, before smartphones and tablets were available in the country.
While reflecting on his passing, she had a playful thought – “sending” him today’s cutting-edge technology to enjoy in the afterlife.
The 51-year-old bought paper replicas of a smartphone, tablet, and smartwatch and burnt them as offerings to her father to mark the Qing Ming Festival (Chinese All-Soul’s Day).
“I’m not sure if he’ll know how to use them, but I thought it would be fun to send him some new ‘toys’ to play with.
“I also got him some ‘paper toiletries’, as he always took good care of himself and used a perfume and shaving cream,” said Teoh, who also bought her father a wallet, some pens and plenty of hell notes to spend.
Teoh, who visited the Batu Gantung columbarium with her four younger siblings on Wednesday, also brought her father’s favourite foods, including mangoes and grapes.
“We added rice, dishes and noodles to offer him a variety.
“This tradition is important because it brings us closer together as siblings.
“We can reminisce about the good times and cherished memories we shared with him.
“My mother will also share stories, which is especially nice since my children never met their grandfather, and they can learn about him through those tales,” she said.
Retiree Khaw Eng Aun, 64, has been honouring his parents with their favourite dishes, including durian, at every Qing Ming for the past two decades.
This year, he continued the tradition with roast duck, durian, curries, steamed buns and noodles.
“I’ve been doing this for over 20 years,” he said at the Batu Gantung columbarium.
“They enjoyed fruits, dim sum, local biscuits and other treats when they were alive,” said Khaw, who came with his younger brother, who also bought a paper car to burn as an offering for their parents.
“I was hesitant at first, as my parents did not know how to drive, but this paper car has a chauffeur.
“It looks like my parents will be driven around this year, that too in a Mercedes,” he joked.
Qing Ming, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival dedicated to honouring and remembering ancestors.
It falls on the 15th day of the Spring Equinox, April 4 this year, and Chinese families pick a day to go to cemeteries or columbaria to venerate the dead.
They can choose any one of 10 days before or after the actual day to pay their respects.
