Ban Fails To Rein In Chung Yeung Festival Crowds

Many family groups headed to the hills on Sunday to mark the Chung Yeung festival to visit ancestral graves, with some groups ignoring restrictions on more than four people gathering publicly under the social distancing regulations.

At the Junk Bay Chinese Permanent Cemetery in Tseung Kwan O, many people were seen heading up the hill with paper offerings and flowers. But some of them said the number of visitors this year was much less.

A man surnamed Wong, who brought along a chicken as an offering, said wearing mask to walk up on hill is quite difficult, but the good weather made it relatively better.

He said there were some family groups which were more than four people despite the ban.

“There are still big family groups walking up together… you can’t stop them,” he said.

Asked about the regulation that people visiting graveyards should wear a face mask, a middle-aged man who was trekking up said people can simply say they are hiking if caught without one.

The current rule exempts those heading to country parks from the mandatory mask regulation.

People who arrived at cemeteries burned offerings and placed flowers on tombs. A lady surnamed Cheng said she did not reduce the amount spent on paper offerings for her ancestors despite the economic slump caused by the pandemic.

She said she was also trying to be careful. “I wear mask all the time and bring along hand sanitisers,” she said.

Most of the people said they were marking the day by remembering their ancestors and praying for good health and an end to the pandemic.

The Chung Yeung festival is held on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. In ancient times, it was marked by climbing a mountain in the belief that it will help avoid plague and evil demons.