M

edan, the capital city of North Sumatra, has seen a boom in the number of visitors over the past two weeks as the ethnic Chinese community marked Cheng Beng (Grave-Sweeping Day) on Tuesday, which attracted both local and foreign travelers to the city.

Local hotels said their occupancy rates rose 10 to 12 percent during Cheng Beng. During Cheng Beng, which has been observed by local ethnic Chinese for generations, families pay their respects to their ancestors by
visiting their graves and making offerings.

Taman Simalem Resort director Eddy Tanoto Sukardi said most hotel guests came from Jakarta, but some came from neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

“Hotel occupancy always increases during Cheng Beng. It is good for local tourism,” Eddy told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, JW Marriott marketing and communications manager Herpeiriati also said Cheng Beng this year had been observed since the end of March and had resulted in the hotel being full.

“We enjoyed an increase of about 12 percent during Cheng Beng,” she said, adding that most guests were of Chinese ancestry and mostly came from Singapore and Malaysia, although some came from the US.

Tandeanus Sukardi, who owns Erni Tour, said many ethnic Chinese from Singapore and Jakarta visited Medan for Cheng Beng. Most spend three days in the city to visit ancestors’ graves at Cheng Beng and to visit relatives.

The chairman of the North Sumatra branch of the Indonesian Chinese Clan Social Association (PSMTI), Tongariodjo Angkasa Ginting, said Cheng Beng was commemorated annually. “The peak of this year’s Cheng Beng fell on April 4. The ritual can last for 10 days prior to or after April 4,” he said.

Cheng Beng is a Chinese tradition, not a religious ritual, he explained. He said that was why ethnic Chinese of different religions considered Cheng Beng a time to honor their ancestors by visiting their graves.

Mimi, 48, an ethnic Chinese woman from Sei Rampah district, said she visited her parents’ graves every year to pray for them.

“Our ancestral teaching teaches us that no matter how successful we are, we have to respect our parents and ancestors. That’s why during Cheng Beng we visit their graves and pray,” said Mimi after visiting the Chinese cemetery in Kedai Durian, Medan.

The tradition is also a blessing for locals as they can earn money from those observing it.

A man who lives near the cemetery, Suriadi, said he could earn additional money at Cheng Beng by offering his help to visitors, such as carrying their equipment from their car to the grave and cleaning the grave before and after the ritual.

“Sometimes I earn Rp 50,000 [US$3.80] a day, depending on the number of people visiting the cemetery,” he said.