The period for tomb sweeping day started a few weeks ago..
Last Wed, my parents, brother and a few other relatives went to Mandai there..to pray to my grandparents (father's side). I was working lar..my brother off day..so he went (representative), so I didn't go lor..Heard from my mother, she bought a set of '4 colour cards' for them to play. Last year, I went with them to pray, they bought a set of 'mahjong' for them..Haahaa
Just now, went tomb sweeping with parent to Mount Vernon there to pray to my grandparents (mother's side). My kor need to work, so I went (representative this time..hehe). Weather not that good, it was bright sunny, but rained..Eventually, when we start to burn joss papers, the sky cleared..(Hmm..some blessings?) But on our way home, the sky darkened again..Haahaa. Just a side note, I've never seen my grandparents when I was born..or did I? Can't remember..Perhaps got..in the case when I was still a baby bah..
Ya..By the way, they will be moving homes soon..Hopefully can join my other grandparents at Mandai..Then they can play mahjong together..Keke. Become neighbours? Of course, we will not have to travel to two places every year.
Just another side note again..Hehe. When I was younger, like around primary school age, we used to go pray to my grandmum, (father's side, never see before too) at Lim Chu Kang Cementry, in the early morning, 4am!!! so early, because we want to avoid the crowd during the afternoon.. Then my mum will asked my school bus driver to bring us there lar..cos that time,we go a whole big family, including my uncles and aunties. Haahaa. Then we will all try to find our path to my grandmum's tomb. When everyone couldn't find it, my brother will be always the first to find it, cos he has this memory of this big, tall tree near my grandmum's tomb. I mean there's so many tress, how to differeniate them??! (My grandmum used to like him a lot..Hmm..is there some link between them?) Anyway, they will pluck the weeds out, paint the words, do a throughout clean on the tomb. Being the youngest, a curious kid, I will just wander off around the cementry..Hahaha. Then will come back, when they start pray and burn those items. Always see them burn those red/black boxes..contains 'lots of money'. Yaya, and the foods, we will eat some on the spot..drumsticks..roast porks..etc and divided them among the family.
Grandpa died few years back..and it was then the family decided to dug out my grandmum's bones from LCK cementry and put the both of them together at Mandai. Hope the two of them will be able to accompany each other from that day onwards...
Another side note..Hmm..
How many of you actually thought of how much each 'hell bank notes' are worth? In the past, we see figures starting at least $1,000,000 to $1,000,000,000. Now in modern days, we see figures like $10, $50..or even $8,000,000,000,000. I wonder what's their inflation rate? does $10 (present) = $1,000,000 (past) or = $0.01? Then they also have different sizes too.. a $1,000,000 can be smaller size than a $50 one. and the $8,000,000,000,000 can be so big, that it is about almost half of a A4 size paper. so weird..Do they carry so big pieces of paper around? So big, how to keep? or will the paper shrink its size? Other than bank notes, they also have other types of money, the 'white long strips', don't know how much it worth..But then, this money, if you fold into a cone shape, it becomes a money pouch. So usually, people will fold them lar..cos like that the money value increase, lets say one strip may = $10, by folding it into a cone, it means the pouch holds more money = $50..Hahaha. Then they also have the 'square paper with gold/silver thing'..don't know how much they worth too..but if you fold that piece of paper into an ingot, it become so much money. See the big difference?! I guess its the act of filial piety. When you put in more efforts to fold those joss papers, the amount of money will be greater, so that your loved ones at the other side, will be able to spend more.
In the market, there are also some 'coins', I always see them as cardboard papers which are too hard to burn..After the whole process, when all other papers become ashes, these 'coins' still remain as one circular piece, shiny in the midst of the ashes.
I think most people have heard of things like houses, aeroplanes, cars, etc..when burned..they will become bigger in size. Hmm, what logic is that? Then, how come those hell bank notes, wouldn't get bigger in size? And nowadays, we have new technology, like mobile phones, laptop, TV sets, game consoles. I mean do the older generations people know how to use? There's no instructions booklet, or manual.
Till today, I couldn't find an answer to it..still as curious as when I was young. When will the day be, for me to find out the desired answer? If the day comes, will there be people who will help me to fulfil this curious question of mine? Please burn houses, cars, different money value bank notes, technology equipment hor, I want to know how it works. Arh..don't forget about maids too..Hahaa. I'm a lazy bum.
What rubbish am I writing????
