Virtual Tomb-Sweeping Keeps a Chinese Tradition Alive

September 30, 2024

A photo of a statue in China

(Rest of World) – Tomb sweeping is a Chinese tradition where people clean ancestors’ graves, present flowers and food, and burn paper money for the deceased to use in the afterlife. But as millions of Chinese have moved away from their hometowns to bigger cities for better economic prospects, physically sweeping ancestral tombs has become a challenge. Virtual-tomb sweeping websites allow migrants to pay their respects from afar.

Zhang and his team launched Wangshang Mianhui in 2021, after noticing a shortage of mobile-friendly online gravesites. The platform can be accessed through the messaging app WeChat. Users can create memorials for their loved ones, upload photos and videos, and present digital offerings like food, incense, or flowers. (Read More)