Filial Piety

Today is the ninth day of the ninth lunar month - the "Double Ninth Festival". As the numeral nine symbolizes "yang" (the white side of the Tai Chi symbol suggesting brightness, passion and growth), the Festival is also called the "Double Yang Festival" or "Chong Yang Festival." It is also a family gathering day at ancestors' resting places.

Ever since the passing away of my grandfather, Cheung Nam, the head of the Cheung household, in 1962, his descendants have never missed visiting him on any Chong Yang day. His third concubine Wong Yau joined him in 1969 and my maternal grandma Lee Sey in 1972. Of late, typhoon Manghut has disturbed their peace.

Some felled large tree branches not yet detached from the trunks are hanging in the air above their resting place. Assimilating them with our family tree, it looks as though some older generation members at the top would like to join the newer generations at the bottom. Between disorder and order, the descendants prefer the latter.

Although family members were prepared and had a power chainsaw machine, the clean-up exercise was confined to making space for us to perform the remembrance rituals. My youngest cousin contributed the most although he was only born after the central figure of our family tree was in heaven. Our relentless festive practice has nurtured filial piety though!