Guest Author - Caroline Baker

As we in the United States celebrate Memorial Day, I'd like to take a moment to also recognize the many Chinese who served in US wars. As we've discussed in articles about the Many Faces of Chinese-Americans, Chinese have been part of the US history since the 1800's.

For the Chinese, revering our forefathers, where we came from and giving thanks for the lives we live today, is an important part of our culture. During March or April, Chinese celebrate a holiday called Ching Ming, which roughly translates to "clean and bright". This is often referred to as the Chinese Remembrance or Memorial Day.

On Ching Ming, families would gather to respect the generations that have come before us. They would travel to the graves of their ancestors to clear away weeds and debris that collected from the winter. Any cracks or broken parts of the gravestone would be repaired. And often offerings of paper money, fruits, wines, and incenses would be made to make the lives of the ancestors easier in their afterlife and hope they bless us in this life as well. Another common translation for the holiday is "grave-sweeping".

In some ways, it's very similar to the Memorial Day celebrations in the US. Families of loved ones who served in the military often visit the graves of their beloved. Flowers are placed on the graves to help show how much we loved them. Thanks are given for their dedication to help protect our country and our freedom.

Two cultures with such similar celebrations helps to illustrate just how important it is for all our lives to remember where we came from and give thanks to past generations for the ability to live as we do today.