【视频新闻】美国北卡罗利纪念陵园首次举办清明法会*缅怀先人

陵园经理 Laura Osborne接受头条采访时表示 北卡以前没有任何清明节相关的活动，这是对亚裔社区的缺失。所以我们决定做一次尝试，让大家有一个表达思念，重新联系自己的文化根源的机会。墓园方面表示，未来计划将清明节作为年度活动持续举办，明年还打算准备柳枝，让大家用柳枝扫帚“扫墓”。也希望不同族裔的居民都能参与清明节活动、了解这一传统。“我们愿意听取社区的想法，也愿意在服务中加入更多文化细节，只要能让人们以自己熟悉的方式缅怀亲人，就是值得的。”

 

（陵园工作人员与华裔家庭交流）

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[English Version]

Reported by Jenny Yue, Chinese Headline Youth Journalism Team USA
Translate by Weiluan Zhang & Haoyang Jiao

On April 5th, Raleigh Memorial Park & Mitchell Funeral Home in North Carolina held its first traditional Qingming blessing ceremony, led by Venerable Miaozhou from Fo Guang Shan North Carolina. The event took place in the beautiful and historic grounds of Raleigh Memorial Park, a Dignity Memorial cemetery located on the west side of downtown Raleigh, known for its serene environment and well-maintained lawns. For years, it has served as a peaceful and dignified resting place for the local community.

In an interview, cemetery manager Laura Osborne shared, “There haven’t been any Qingming-related activities in North Carolina before. This is something that has been missing for our Asian communities. We wanted to create an opportunity for people to honor their loved ones and reconnect with their cultural roots.” The cemetery hopes to make Qingming an annual event and even plans to offer traditional willow branches next year, so visitors can use them to sweep graves. They also encourage participation from people of all backgrounds, to learn about and appreciate this meaningful tradition.

“We’re open to feedback from the community,” Osborne added, “and we’re happy to incorporate more cultural details in our services. If people can remember their loved ones in a way that’s meaningful and familiar to them, then it’s truly worthwhile.”

According to Linda Li, a pre-planning advisor at the park, the cemetery offers not only traditional burial plots, cremation niches, and customized headstones, but is also actively working to meet the needs of the multicultural community. This year’s Qingming ceremony is a reflection of those efforts. The goal is to help Asian—especially Chinese—families feel a sense of belonging and emotional connection when they come to honor their ancestors.

One participant, Ms. Zhang, shared: “For so many years, we never had a place or opportunity to observe Qingming the way we did back in China. This year, we finally got to honor our loved ones in a way we’re familiar with.”

The cemetery provided traditional offerings, including a fire pot, paper ingots, and joss paper for participants to burn in remembrance of their ancestors. Many Chinese families living in the U.S. found these thoughtful details comforting and heartwarming. In fact, the cemetery has been the resting place of a Chinese ancestor since 1995, and this was the first time in 30 years that the family could perform a traditional ceremony for their loved one—an experience that deeply moved them.

After the ceremony, a youth lion dance troupe performed to bring blessings, drive away negative energy, and welcome good fortune. Attendees also enjoyed a traditional Chinese lunch and vegetarian food prepared by the organizers.

The event not only offered blessings for the deceased but also brought hope and peace to those still living. Public Qingming ceremonies like this are rare in the area, making it all the more meaningful for Chinese families who wish to maintain cultural traditions even while living far from home.

During the ceremony, there were Buddhist chants and a special prayer session. Afterward, Venerable Miaozhou said in an interview, “Becoming a family is a rare and precious karmic connection. When our loved ones pass away, it’s like they’ve immigrated to a better world. Although they’ve changed forms, they continue to live in our hearts.” She encouraged people to face life and death with peace and to use prayers to maintain a spiritual connection with their ancestors.

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