Author: Diana Yip
Class: 3D
Ching Ming Festival was once considered an important part of Hong Kong’s culture. However, for various reasons such as time and environment, it is thought less important that this tradition nowadays. In this essay, I will analyse the pros and cons of having Ching Ming culture at Hong Kong.
One reason why Ching Ming Festival should be preserved at Hong Kong is that it is an important form of cultural expression. Obviously, Ching Ming Festival is not just about cleaning headstones, offering food and lighting incense to our ancestors, it is also necessary to remember and honour our ancestors. I have no doubt that if people don’t preserve this tradition soon, I guarantee that the value of this culture will be lost from generation to generation and consequently this culture will gradually disappear.
Another argument in favour of having Ching Ming Festival at Hong Kong is that it can bring a peace to our country. It is important that our ancestors can bless the country with a peace and good harvests of our farming activities. For instance, the weather and temperature of rice cultivation. On the other hand, communication is also a way to build up a good relationship between we and our ancestors. I promise that if we worship them more, they will bring more good luck for us. By introducing the Ching Ming Festival to youngsters, it can bring a peace to our country and maintain a good relationship with our ancestors as they can bless and protect us.
From the above, it can be seen that there are clearly reasons for preserving the Ching Ming Festival at Hong Kong. On the contrary, there are some drawbacks to make us what to abandon it. Hong Kong people are living in a busy era, it is time-consuming for them to visit their ancestors frequently. Therefore, people are using another modern way to venerate their ancestors such as online worshipping instead of the traditional method. Would it be a difficult step if people sacrifice some time to visit them?
The second argument against having Ching Ming Festival in Hong Kong is that it will pollute our environment. This time people always light incense to worship their ancestors, this method will emit too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Thus, it will pollute our environment. After all, having Ching Ming Festival in Hong Kong is for showing respect to ancestors if people are really protected our environment through another methods.
On the whole, there are both reasons to preserve and abandon this culture in Hong Kong. However, I believe that, on balance, preserve it out weighs than abandon it. If we preserve them, our ancestors will also preserve our life. As a consequence, it deserves to be included in Hong Kong culture.
