By IANS,
Beijing : An estimated 460 million people mourned their ancestors or deceased at the graveyards or memorial parks on the occasion of Tomb Sweeping Day holiday this year, Xinhua quoted the ministry of civil affairs as saying.
During this three-day Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping Day festival, Chinese people visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, joss paper accessories, or libations to their ancestors.
Traditionally, people used to bring a whole rooster with them to the graves. But the occasion has become less formal over the years.
Besides visit to family graves during Qingming, which fell April 5 this year, the tradition demands burning “fake” paper versions of money and other possessions.
This year the memorial sites received more than 14.75 million people and nearly 1.86 million vehicles during the Sunday-to-Tuesday three-day holiday, up three percent and 18 percent respectively from the same period in 2010.
The government last week had urged beefed up security measures to ensure a safe Tomb Sweeping Day this year by preventing accidents such as fires and stampedes.