Chung Yeung Festival is approaching, and it is expected that a large number of grave sweepers will visit Tsang Tsui Columbarium (the Columbarium) with joss papers and offerings to pay tribute to their ancestors during the festive period. Burning of paper offerings and incense is a traditional culture in paying tribute to the deceased, however, it could emit various kinds of air pollutants which may cause nuisance to the neighbours and pollute the environment.

Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) encourages grave-sweepers to adopt more environmentally friendly ways to pay respects to their ancestors instead of burning joss papers and incense. Paying a sincere and heartfelt tribute is the key of ancestor worship. Relatives can consider paying tribute to their ancestors by observing a moment of silence, expressing thoughts in writing, or offering flowers, as an alternative to joss paper burning. These will help preserve the cleanliness and serenity of the resting places.

To facilitate the public to pay respects and show condolences to their lost loved ones at any time, and from anywhere, FEHD also provides a free memorial website "memorial.gov.hk" (http://www.memorial.gov.hk) and its mobile app for the public.

To shorten the queueing time for burning paper offerings in joss paper burners (JPBs), FEHD will reserve a portion of JPBs for online booking during peak periods before and after the Chung Yeung Festival. Grave sweepers, who have made advance booking via the FEHD’s website, could use the “JPB Fastpass” during the reserved timeslots to shorten the queuing time and maintain social distancing.

The online system will start to accept bookings from the public from 3 September 2022. Members of the public can make advance booking of the designated JPBs on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 17 September 2022 to 16 October 2022 through the "Online Booking System for Joss Paper Burners in Tsang Tsui Columbarium" on the FEHD's website. The timeslots are available on a first-come-first-served basis. For non-peak period, no advance booking is required.

Members of public with advance booking should arrive at the entrance of the “JPB Fastpass” on 1/F of the Columbarium at the reserved timeslot and show the SMS message or confirmation page to the venue staff before using the designated JPBs. Each mobile phone number can make only one booking on the same day and the booking is valid only at the reserved timeslot.  The visitors are advised to cancel their booking if they could not turn up on the scheduled date and time.

FEHD appeals to members of the public to stagger grave-sweeping activities over a wider period before and after the Chung Yeung Festival and avoid grave sweeping during the peak period on the day of the Chung Yeung Festival so as to avoid overcrowding, which might increase the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

For enquiries, please contact staff of Tsang Tsui Columbarium at 2713 1077.

Cemeteries and Crematoria Section

Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

1 September 2022