[Sharon]

Qingming Festival is when Chinese people visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors.

It occurs on the 15th of March.

The Qingming Festival is an opportunity for celebrants to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, joss paper accessories, and/or libations to the ancestors. The rites have a long tradition in Asia, especially among farmers. Some people carry willow branches with them on Qingming or put willow branches on their gates and/or front doors. They believe that willow branches help ward off the evil spirit that wanders on Qingming.

Tomb sweeping day in Thailand


A monk joining in


People praying over their relatives and ancestors


Praying over skeletal remains


Overview of skeletal remains, you can see where the skull was sawn at autopsy


Close-up of underside of skull


Close-up of interior of skull




Toothbrushes are used to gently rid the bones of debris


Cleaning smaller bones




It's all hard work!




Remains of relative, only bones are left


People keep up a positive attitude


Offerings of money to the dead


Offerings and gifts for the dead - to the left are skeletal remains


Close-up of relative in the tent full of his/her offerings


Looking cool in shades and a baseball cap


This family's relative hasn't been dead long


Remains are bagged and marched along with to show that the family is mourning and remembering their loved one

The coloured set of images below are of the same ritual that occurred yesterday - check out Mr. Selfie

[jesuswept]

What a time consuming ritual!! I'd pay someone to have my loved one rigged up like an anatomists' skeleton so it would be easier to haul around.

[Spiffyfable]

Originally Posted by jesuswept ↗

What a time consuming ritual!! I'd pay someone to have my loved one rigged up like an anatomists' skeleton so it would be easier to haul around.

You know Cremations work quite well

[RCKNRLLCWBY]

Some cultures are just fucking strange.

[LadyCPlum]

A forensic paradise......

[Vedderman]

Great thread. I really laud the time and effort you put into so many of your posts. I just pad my gore with sarcasm and ribald jokes, but you actually post interesting shit and are always going the extra mile to be informative and organized with your material. Please don't ever think that it goes unappreciated.

[Sharon]

Originally Posted by Vedderman ↗

Great thread. I really laud the time and effort you put into so many of your posts. I just pad my gore with sarcasm and ribald jokes, but you actually post interesting shit and are always going the extra mile to be informative and organized with your material. Please don't ever think that it goes unappreciated.

Thanks so much for your words, means a lot

This took over an hour to do but wasn't a chore as is a moderately interesting topic. I know users prefer straight up gory carnage but the odd educational/informative thread can't harm.

[Riddla]

That underside shot of the skull looks like the Punisher symbol

[MesaGrande]

Great thread, thanks

[Audioguru]

Yup, spring is in the air. Dust off those ol' bones for the season