Sao Mu - second weekend

The Lee family matriarch's tomb is in Southern Taiwan, but most of the family comes from Ilan on the Northeastern coast where the Lee family has maybe 10 generations, before that the ancestors are traced back to Fujian Province in Mainland China. The family tombs are just outside of Ilan. The second weekend of Sao Mu is in Ilan.

Like all trips from Taipei, we start with the subway system to connecting buses or trains. It is so convenient compared to using taxises or city buses. The subway system is being constantly expanded. In the next few years it will reach the international airport. Traveling in Taiwan is getting easier and easier.

The subway takes us to the Taipei City Hall bus station where we get on a tour bus to Ilan. At the bus station we meet other members of the Lee family going to Ilan. Again it is one big family outing.

We started with a bus out of Taipei thru the XueShan Mountain Tunnel. This was a major engineering accomplishment of a 13km(8 miles).  It cost more than half a billion dollars and 25 lives and took 15 years from 1991-2006.But it now conveniently connects East and West Taiwan in the North. The development of Ilan has lagged the rest of Taiwan but now Ilan is starting to grow much faster. There is a great National Geographic program about the construction of this tunnel.

All the buses in Taipei now have a card reader for paying the fare, no need to fumble with the correct change getting in.


The graveyards in Taiwan are extensive and occupy hills with good views.

The Lee family has this tomb for several of the recent ancestors.

The ceremonies are like conversations between the living and the ancestors. New members of the Lee family are introduced and the living ask for guidance and help in the coming year.

 As important as the ceremonies at the tomb, there is also a reunion lunch for all the Lee family at a restaurant.  It is a time for making connections and finding out how everyone is doing. Of course there is singing, jokes and stories. The oldest members are the guests of honor. This year the lunch was at a golf course outside of Ilan.

I haven't been to a fancy golf course in years, but there are some very rich Taiwanese for whom golf has the same function as in the US. Making business deals and connections. It was good to see how the other half lives.