Qing Ming

After some 20-over years of doing things my way, changes abound and I find myself having to adjust to the traditions of my new (as in my husband’s) family.

Qing Ming Festival, also known as “Tomb Sweeping Day” is a day when chinese people tend to the graves of their departed ones, to honor their ancestors.

My husband’s family is from Kuala Pilah and they are really proud of that fact. Every Chinese New Year and Qing Ming would be spent there, eventhough none of them live in KP anymore. Everyone would travel from KL and wherever else they are based to KP for a family gathering.

Where is Kuala Pilah?
It’s about 2 and a half hours away from KL, in Negeri Sembilan.

This year’s CNY was the first CNY I spent in KP and I was so homesick. Since the shophouse we all stayed in is not occupied except when we’re in KP for CNY and Qing Ming, it’s dirty and the amenities are terribly basic. I have to bathe in cold water, and from a big bucket no less! Plus there’s no internet *urrghhh*… no McDonalds, no cinema, no shopping complex… *silent scream* Gone were the days when I would spend CNY shopping, wear nice new clothing and spend the rest of my time relaxing at home eating lotsa CNY goodies. *sobs*

I’m a pampered city girl, with both my parents, and both sets of grandparents born and bred in Kuala Lumpur. I love my creature comforts! So I’ve come to the conclusion that going to KP is comparable to camping, something which I have had no intention of doing since I past the age of 21. It’s dirty, it’s uncomfortable, there’s a lot of people staying in one place, u look like a mess all of the time and in my case, get bitten by fleas & unidentified insects a lot.

One CNY some three years ago I went to KP to visit my then-bf (now husband) and came back with a horribly bad case of flea bites on both my legs that took ages to heal.

Then this time for Qing Ming, I had an insect bite my right toe and it’s still swollen and itchy.

*urrrggghhhhhhhhh* Maybe the fleas prefer city ppl? Or they hate city ppl so much they must inflict the worst possible injuries to them? Oh yeah, it will realllllyyyy take a lot of getting used to, this “balik-kampung” business. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to… *sigh* The only good thing about all of this is being able to meet and know my husband’s extended family more since we’re all thrown together and forced to live in close proximity with each other.

OK, back to the topic of Qing Ming. I’ve never participated in it, cause when me and my sister was young, my parents forbade us to go. Then when we’re older, we just couldn’t wake up. So it was all new to me – this visiting graveyard thingy. It wasn’t unpleasant, just a lot of work climbing up the slippery slopes of the mountain.

Ah, and did i mention EXHAUSTING? I came in on Friday night from Singapore. On Saturday, we travelled to KP from JB at 2.30pm, arriving 7.30pm. Sunday morning we all woke up at 6.30am for Qing Ming. At 2.30pm my husband and I travelled back to JB, reaching around 6.30pm. By the time I got back to my place in SG, it was 9.30pm. What a way to spend a weekend! Coupled with the past few weeks of rushed work and sleepless nights due to inconsiderate housemates, I was a mad woman. Now I’m still recovering from the lack of sleep…
>.<