The custom of worshiping mountains during the Double Ninth Festival in Guangdong
1. Those who visit tombs and worship ancestors on the Double Ninth Festival include Hakkas from Luchuan, Yulin and Guigang in Guangxi, Puxian people from Fujian, people from the Zhong family and Rao family in Dongzhuangli, Taiwan, and even some Singaporean Chinese.
2. People of the Xiashahuang clan in Shenzhen and the Liao clan in the New Territories of Hong Kong worship in spring and autumn. They worship in ancestral halls in spring and in ancestral tombs and ancestral halls in autumn.
3. Worshiping mountains during the Double Ninth Festival is a long-standing custom among Hong Kong people.
4. During the Double Ninth Festival, Hong Kong citizens either go up to the mountains with their families or visit the tombs of their ancestors.
5. Since the main cemeteries in Hong Kong are on the mountains, it is also possible to climb up while sweeping the tombs, which is very suitable for the season.
6. Most of these tomb sweepers come from one or several families, bringing abundant offerings and incense candles to pay homage to their ancestors.
7. After sweeping the tombs and visiting their ancestors, many Hong Kong people bring food and drink with their families and go for an outing in the wild.
8. Therefore, the roads to the cemetery are particularly crowded in the early morning.
9. According to historical records, Hong Kong’s custom of worshiping ancestors at Chongjiu originated from the Liao clan in Sheung Shui Township, one of the earliest large clans to settle in the New Territories.
10. The Liao people still retain this custom today, and their autumn festivals are very grand.
11. However, in terms of the number of participants and the form and scale of the sacrifice, it is different from the ancestor worship activities of the New Territories aboriginal residents on a clan basis.
12. According to data, the native people of the New Territories worshiped their ancestors for nine times, usually divided into three times: the first time was private tomb sweeping, that is, small family worshiping ancestors; the second time was Fangfen tomb sweeping, consisting of several The third time is the mass grave sweeping, that is, the whole village has the same surname, no matter they have moved out or are separated in different places, they all come together to worship their ancestors and go to the grave sweeping in groups.
13. The tribesmen usually bring roasted pigs, three animals and wine as gifts, as well as utensils such as bowls, chopsticks, cups and plates, and sickles.
14. When arriving at the ancestral tomb, some people piled stones to build a stove and cooked traditional dishes, while others cleaned up the weeds and garbage beside the tomb.