Longhua encourages online mourning for the deceased

Residents in Longhua are encouraged to hold memorial services at home or online during Tomb-sweeping Day, which falls on April 5 this year, according to the city’s civil affairs bureau.

The Tomb-sweeping Day, also known as the Qingming Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival for people to sweep tombs to mourn the deceased and worship ancestors.

All cemeteries, columbaria, burial sites and other funeral services in the city will continue to halt in-person visits during the Qingming Festival holiday from April 3 to 5, according to the bureau.

The city will also continue to suspend gatherings such as mass public offerings, in-person sea and tree burials. Out-of-town citizens are encouraged to postpone their visit to Shenzhen to participate in memorial activities.

Citizens can hold memorial services through the “云祭扫” platform of the “粤省事” WeChat miniprogram by virtual flower offering, sending online messages and writing articles in memory of late relatives and friends.

Burning paper offerings, as well as setting off fireworks and firecrackers are banned in public spaces of residential compounds, municipal squares, parks and roads, as well as forests, the bureau said.