Hongkongers brave rain for Ching Ming ancestral worship amid higher offering costs

Despite rainy weather which brought sudden morning showers and intensified downpours around noon, Hongkongers flocked to cemeteries to pay respect to their ancestors on the Ching Ming Festival on Sunday. 

At the Cape Collinson Chinese Permanent Cemetery in Chai Wan, residents arrived with offerings such as flowers and fruits, braving the rain with umbrellas and raincoats. Some took shelter from the heavy rain on the ground floor of the Cape Collinson San Ha Columbarium. 

One tomb sweeper noted that this was the heaviest rain he had experienced on Ching Ming Festival, which deepened his sense of gratitude for his parents’ love.

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A resident said the rain was heavier than expected, so he wrapped his offerings in plastic bags before heading to the cemetery to keep them dry. Another resident said the family would not reschedule the ancestral worship because of prior arrangements, noting they had to take extra care walking uphill in the rain. 

Some residents reported significant increases in the costs of offerings. One spent around HK$400 on roast pork and other items, saying prices had doubled compared with previous years, which led them to reduce the amount purchased.

A family of more than 20 people spent around HK$1,000 on suckling pig, roast goose and chocolate for the ritual, stating prices were similar to previous years. They emphasized they would not cut spending on ancestral worship despite the weak economy, as it is an important tradition.

The owner of a paper-offerings shop said increased shipping costs for goods imported from the mainland and Taiwan had pushed purchase costs up by 10 to 15 percent this year. As a result, most products have risen by HK$1 to HK$2, while the price of clothes-paper pack offerings has increased by HK$10 to HK$160. She stressed that overall prices remain roughly the same as last year. 

She added that the number of columbarium niches in the area has been increasing, which has brought more worshippers. The closure of some nearby paper-offering shops has also boosted her business, with the shop’s turnover rising by 15 percent so far this year, and she expressed optimism about prospects.