Cheng Beng (Qing Ming) Festival

Every year usually during the month of March or April, Chinese locals will be paying respect to their ancestors during the Qingming Festival (also known as Tomb Sweeping Day and Clear Bright Festival). Qingming Festival is also commonly known as Cheng Beng by the local Hokkiens in Penang.

A Chinese tradition, the Qingming Festival is an opportunity for members of a family to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, joss paper accessories, and/or libations to the ancestors.

Kampung Kolam: Ma’ Amah Mausoleum

Ma’ Amah Mausoleum is an old mausoleum located right at the heritage area of George Town, in Kampung Kolam. It houses the grave of Cauder Mydin Merican, a renowned leader of the Indian Muslim community in Penang during the old days.

George Town Street View: Jalan Masjid (Masjid Road)

Jalan Masjid

Jalan Masjid (or Jalan Mesjid, Masjid Road) is a small road off Chulia Street which can be found just right beside the Sky Hotel building in George Town. The word ‘masjid’ refers to a mosque, and the road was named after one of the small and old Indian Muslim mosques in the Chulia Street area. There is also a small Indian-Muslim tomb called Makam Maulana Miskin Waliallah located along this road (as pictured below).

Jalan Masjid

Qingming Festival in Penang

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The Berapit burial ground at Bukit Mertajam is one of the largest place for Chinese from all over Penang to visit and pay respect to their ancestors during the Qingming Festival (also known as Tomb Sweeping Day and Clear Bright Festival).

A Chinese tradition, the Qingming Festival is an opportunity for members of a family to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, joss paper accessories, and/or libations to the ancestors.

Penang Isle: Christian Cemetery

As the the resting place of Penang’s European pioneers, the Christian Cemetery at Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah road in George Town is the oldest of such cemetery in the island. The cemetery (also referred to as Protestant Cemetery) is the resting place of  Captain Francis Light (the Founder of Penang), the early British governors of Penang, the husband of Anna Leonowens (“Anna &  The King”), and also the founder of Penang Free School. The cemetery is mostly shaded by trees with tombs as well as gravestones inhabiting the area since 1789.