Photos: Wuhan Mourns Coronavirus Victims On Tomb Sweeping Day

(Updated: 11:15 a.m. EST, April 4, 2020)

Topline: China’s first Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, since the coronavirus pandemic killed thousands has taken on a new meaning as millions of Chinese pay their respects to dead ancestors. 

• Over the past several days, residents of Wuhan —believed to be the origin of the coronavirus outbreak— have been allowed to leave their homes for the first time in months as officials ease the city-wide lockdown after a decrease in cases, but restrictions are still in place to keep the virus under control.
• Usually, residents of Wuhan would travel to graveyards on Tomb Sweeping Day to clean the graves of family members, pray and make ritual offerings— but with all tomb-sweeping activities in Wuhan suspended until April 30, residents have made offerings at home and set up makeshift memorials.
• Some Chinese cemeteries are even offering virtual tomb sweeping services, where families can watch a live stream of traditional rituals being carried out for their relatives by cemetery staff.