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House and Home－Ancestral Altar

Place：Sheung Shui Bou Sheung Tsuen
Date：1964-02-12
Observation：In most houses are found the altars for the family ancestors. This is the altar in my neighbour’s house. It was usually the case in Sheung Shui that the ancestors in the home were represented by their names written on red paper, not by individual wooden tablets. The most recent ancestor recorded here was of the 18th generation of the clan. Tea and incense were offered every day, and on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, on festival days, and at new year more elaborate offerings were made. This was taken at new year, hence the presence on the altar of the auspicious cumquat plant and the lit red ritual candles.