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Breaking the shackles of tradition.
Today, my friend from Taiwan emailed and asked if there is the Festival of Tomb Sweeping aka CHING MING in NZ. This is the old aged tradition where the Chinese go to the ancestors tomb, clean the tomb, burn candles or incense and ask for blessings. If they are "ancestor worship", they will take along food and wine to share it. Have some sort of a picnic. For Christians, like my family, we bring flowers and burn white candles.
In NZ, the baptist go to the graves any time they like. The Roman Catholics go on All Souls day in November.
My husband doesn't believe in going, So I remember Andrew in my heart and I blog about him.
As I was cooking today, I looked at the knife I was holding. Maggie, in the photo gave me this knife when she left New Zealand to Taiwan. Traditionally, Chinese people do not like giving knives because it means severing the relationship. Both Maggie and I are Christians , so we don't believe in it. This knife is a very good knife and I use it all the time. I remember Maggie when I cook. We email each other to maintain our friendship. I joked that her son John is my foster son.
Once, I gave a set of knives to a friend for her wedding. Her Mum told her to give me a 10 cents coin. They explained that the metal would blunt the knives and prevent the knives from cutting off our relationship and I must receive it. It's been 30 years, we are still friends.
I am glad, I have broken the shackle of this tradition. But I make it a point never to give knives. The recipient may not like it.
In My book, I wrote a lot of shackles of Chinese Traditions. They would seem strange to you, but many people believe in them.
4 comments:
A lovely click! Learned new tradition which I never knew before.
Great shot. I have learned another Chinese tradition.
that's very interesting, i like hearing about your ways
x
I have never heard of this tradition, but it makes sense!!
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