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Internet As Medium Honoring The Dead

The so-called Tomb Sweeping Festival is an ancient Chinese tradition, during which deceased family members are honored by family members by cleaning the graves and the offering of gifts.

However, instead of in the past, when visitors visit the tombs physically, many are now choosing to "visit" their deceased family members' tombs via the internet. The online sites offer virtual flowers, candle sticks, joss sticks etc.

The websites also have "memorial halls" that you can click on to order flowers, etc. Many of these "halls" are for famous people, such as the fighter pilot Wang Wei, who died in a collision with a US plane off of Hainan Island one year ago. There are even fictional tombs for characters in famous novels.

Although there are arguments that honoring relatives in cyberspace is more environmentally friendly and a way for busy people to manage their time, many oppose the superficiality and insincerity of an online offering. The question is if the new "cyber honoring" can replace actual physical visits.

(Source: Agence France Presse)

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