Early migrants who came to Nanyang (Southeast Asia) in the 19th century often ended up dying here. Their burial sites and rites were then arranged by fellow clansmen. During the Qing Ming Festival on the 15th day after the spring equinox, usually falling in early April, people would visit gravesites to burn incense and worship their ancestors. This formed the model for Qing Ming rituals in Singapore.

As time went by, the different dialect groups acquired their own burial grounds in Singapore. These included Heng Suah Teng for the Hokkiens; Tai Suah Ting for the Teochews; Peck San Theng for the Cantonese; Yu Shan Ting for the Hainanese; and Shuang Long Shan for the Hakkas, among others. The early Qing Ming ancestor worship rites in Singapore were centred around these burial grounds.

Origins in the Cold Food Festival

According to the Liji, or Book of Rites, “Ceremonies are of five kinds, and there is none of them more important than sacrifices. Sacrifice is not a thing coming to a man from without; it issues from within him, and has its birth in his heart. When the heart is deeply moved, expression is given to it by ceremonies; and hence, only men of ability and virtue can give complete exhibition to the idea of sacrifice.”1

Worship rites are a crucial aspect of ancestral rituals. During the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties, the decree of “going to the outskirts and visiting ancestral graves” was issued for the Qing Ming Festival, which evolved into one of the most significant traditional ancestor worship festivals for the Chinese.

The significance of ancestor worship and tomb sweeping lies in the cultural values of honouring ancestors and cherishing the past. The customs of Qing Ming ancestor worship can be traced back to the Cold Food Festival, which falls on the day before Qing Ming.

According to Chinese folklore, during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BCE), the nobleman Chong’er from the state of Jin went into exile. When he fainted from hunger, his loyal follower Jie Zitui cut a piece of flesh from his leg and roasted it to feed him. Many years later, Chong’er became Duke Wen of Jin, and wanted to reward Jie Zitui for his loyalty. However, Jie Zitui declined the reward, and, carrying his elderly mother on his back, retreated to the mountains. Duke Wen set the mountain on fire, hoping that Jie Zitui would come out. Tragically, Jie Zitui and his mother were burned alive. Duke Wen then established the day of the fire as the Cold Food Festival, decreeing that only cold and raw food should be eaten on that day as a sign of gratitude and remembrance.

Coming together to honour ancestors

Every Qing Ming Festival, Singapore’s Chinese cemeteries and columbaria buzz with activity. The festival has become a day for Chinese Singaporeans to gather with their families. In the past, people would usually visit gravesites to sweep their ancestors’ tombs. Today, cremation is more common, and people head to the columbarium to pay respects to their ancestors. Singaporeans also have the options of sea burial or scattering the ashes of their loved ones in the Garden of Peace in Choa Chu Kang.

Singaporean family members gathered at a Chinese cemetery near Whitley Road for tomb sweeping during the Qing Ming Festival, 1970. Reproduced with permission from SPH Media Limited.

In recent years, the number of Chinese people opting for sea burials has increased — accounting for 10% to 16%.2 The designated sea burial site in Singapore is approximately 2.8km south of Pulau Semakau. However, families of the deceased could also arrange through funeral services and the relevant authorities to perform the sea burial in waters between Singapore’s main island and Pulau Tekong. The ashes are wrapped in white or red cloth, or placed in biodegradable urns, which are released into the sea by family members — often accompanied by a scattering of flowers.

Collective ancestor worship by clan associations

Singapore’s Chinese clan associations continue the tradition of collective ancestor worship, organising spring prayers during the Qing Ming Festival. The Hokkien Huay Kuan holds spring prayers at cemeteries in Mandai and Choa Chu Kang (as the earlier Hokkien burial grounds were relocated to these sites). The worship ceremony is led by the General Affairs Committee of the Hokkien Huay Kuan. It commences with the laying out of sacrifices and offerings, followed by the lighting of incense and candles in worship of Tua Pek Kong and ancestors. The master of ceremonies then delivers an oration in remembrance of the contributions made by the ancestors, and prays for blessings for the nation. After that, the attendees bow in respect before burning joss paper. 3

A lion dance troupe performing at a Cantonese clan association ancestor worship event. Photograph taken in 2023. Courtesy of Lee Kok Leong.
Clan associations’ Qing Ming activities involve offerings of roast pig, as shown in this photo from the 1960s. After ancestor worship, it is traditional for elders to distribute portions of the roast pig to everyone. Courtesy of Lee Kok Leong.

Cantonese associations such as the Hok San Association, Kong Chow Association, and Sam Sui Association, which have their own lion dance troupes, have also preserved the custom of performing lion dances to pay respect to ancestors for over a century. During the Qing Ming and Chong Yang Festivals, these troupes visited the memorial tomb at the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng to pay their respects, pioneering the practice of performing lion dance as part of ancestor worship.4

After the ancestor worship ceremony, everyone can partake in the offerings blessed by the ancestors. Such offerings usually comprise the five sacrifices (such as chicken or duck, pig’s head, fish, crab, and cuttlefish), fruits, rice with dishes, and confectionery. Some associations use roast pig as the primary offering. After ancestor worship, they practise the tradition of “Meat Distribution” after the ancestor worship, in which elders distribute portions of the roast pig to everyone. This embodies the ideals of unity and mutual assistance, while also passing down blessings through the generations.

The traditions practised during Qing Ming Festival in Singapore differ according to one’s dialect group. When sweeping tombs, the Teochews placed coloured paper, held down by cockle shells (a nod to the currency of ancient times) on graves to symbolise offering money to their ancestors.5They also practised tomb sweeping during the winter solstice. Similarly, the Hokkiens were known for placing rectangular coloured paper, held down by stones, on graves to show that they had visited to worship their ancestors.6They ate popiah (a crepe-like roll filled with cooked meat and vegetables), and scattered the shells of cockles in front of their ancestors’ graves after eating them.7 Meanwhile, the Cantonese used sugarcane as an offering, symbolising a sweet, harmonious family. When chewing on sugarcane, one must start from the top and finish it to the end, representing the importance of completing tasks from beginning to end, with a good start and a good finish.

The Chong Yang Festival, which falls on the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar, is similar to Qing Ming. It is a day to remember ancestors and visit their graves for tomb sweeping, and involves a practice known as qiuji or “autumn prayers”. In recent years, there has been a decrease in local observance of the autumn prayers, but some clan associations and community groups still uphold the tradition of honouring ancestors on that day. The spring prayers at Qing Ming Festival and autumn prayers at Chong Yang Festival are important events that have been observed by Chinese Singaporeans to remember the teachings and contributions of their forefathers, as well as show filial piety.