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A family paying respects to their ancestor at Lim Chu Kang cemetery. In order to beat the heat and crowds, some families make the trip to the cemetery before dawn.
A family paying respects to their ancestor at Lim Chu Kang cemetery. In order to beat the heat and crowds, some families make the trip to the cemetery before dawn.
A stark reminder of on-going exhumation at Lim Chu Kang cemetery. Besides the older graves that were part of the plot of land set aside for redevelopment, new graves will also be exhumed after they meet the minimum 15-year burial period.
A family paying respects to their ancestor at Lim Chu Kang cemetery. In order to beat the heat and crowds, some families make the trip to the cemetery before dawn.
Qing Ming 2018
It was a rather quiet affair during the Qing Ming Festival at Lim Chu Kang Cemetery this year. Once a period of hustle and bustle, things were noticeably calm and muted when I cycled to the cemetery before dawn. This is my 4th year visiting the cemetery during Qing Ming, hoping to document the gradual changes to the space and traditions as the cemetery undergoes redevelopment. With a significant portion being exhumed to make way for the expansion of the Tengah Air Base, there was definitely less footfall this year. The atmosphere was further dampened with Covid-19 restrictions in place, where families visiting cemeteries are limited to 8 per group. Nevertheless, it is heartening to see that despite Singapore’s desire for progress, Qing Ming is one of the cultural traditions that withstood the test of time and continues to be an important festival for the ethnic Chinese in Singapore. Emphasising on filial piety and ancestral worship, it is a period where families get to impart these important values to the next generation. It is also an occasion for extended families to gather and bond. Traditionally held at cemeteries around Singapore, many have been exhumed to make way for other developments. The Chinese cemetery at Lim Chu Kang is the largest and one of the last remaining cemeteries, holding a special place for many Chinese families whose ancestors are buried there.