The Ching Ming 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. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) urges members of the public to stagger grave-sweeping activities over a wider period before and after the Ching Ming Festival and avoid grave sweeping during the peak period on the Ching Ming Festival Day so as to avoid overcrowding.
A longer queueing time for burning paper offerings in joss paper burners (JPBs) is expected during the coming Ching Ming festive period. To reduce the gathering of crowds, no walk-in queue for JPBs will be allowed in the Columbarium during the peak periods, i.e. on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 18 March 2023 to 16 April 2023. All JPB users must make advance bookings via the FEHD website OR obtain queue tickets on site from the ticketing machines installed on G/F of the Columbarium. Details of the arrangement are as follows:
(i) Online Booking
The online booking system will start to accept public bookings from 9 March 2023. Members of the public can make advance bookings for the designated JPBs on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 18 March 2023 to 16 April 2023 through the "Online Booking System for Joss Paper Burners in Tsang Tsui Columbarium" on the FEHD website. The timeslots are available on a first-come-first-served basis. For non-peak periods, advance booking is not required.
Members of the public with advance bookings should show the QR code in the SMS to the venue staff before joining the "JPB Queue" on 1/F of the Columbarium at the reserved timeslot. Each mobile phone number can only make one booking on the same day and the booking is valid only at the reserved timeslot. People who have booked the use of JPBs are advised to cancel their bookings through the system as soon as possible if they cannot turn up as scheduled.
(II) Obtaining Queue Tickets on Site
If no advance online booking has been made, JPB users are required to obtain a same-day queue ticket from the ticketing machines installed on G/F of the Columbarium. Holders of a valid queue ticket with the number being called should show the physical ticket (photocopies, screenshots or showing the ticket by other means are not acceptable) to the venue staff before joining the “JPB Queue” on 1/F of the Columbarium. All queue tickets must be used within the designated timeslot, otherwise the tickets will not be accepted. Ticket holders can visit the on-site display kiosks or the FEHD website to check the real-time queueing status.
For visitors without advance bookings or unable to use JPBs at the designated timeslot, they may put the paper offerings in the “Joss Paper Collection Area” at the East Wing of 1/F. The FEHD staff will assist to burn the offerings on the same day.
Burning paper offerings and incense is a traditional custom in paying tribute to the deceased; however, it will emit various kinds of air pollutants, causing nuisances to the neighbourhood and polluting the environment. Grave-sweepers are encouraged to adopt more environmentally friendly ways to pay respect to their ancestors, such as offering flowers, adopting digital worshipping and using smoke-free joss sticks, instead of burning joss papers and incense. The FEHD provides a free memorial website “memorial.gov.hk” (http://www.memorial.gov.hk) and its mobile app to facilitate the public to pay respect and express condolences to their deceased beloved ones anytime and anywhere. Paying a sincere and heartfelt tribute is the key of ancestor worship.
For enquiries, please contact the staff of Tsang Tsui Columbarium at 2713 1077.
Take a Queue Ticket before Burning Paper Offerings (Only Chinese version is available)
Cemeteries and Crematoria Section
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
9 March 2023
