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Ching Ming Jie 2026
Bring your family and friends for a rare public cultural celebration and community event!
Sunday, April 5th | 10:30 AM - 1:00 PM
South Bay Historic Chinese American Cemetery
300-A Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125
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Ching Ming Jie
Gravesweeping Day
Our celebration recognizes the ancient Chinese tradition of honoring our ancestors. convening at the site of the Historic Chinese American Cemetery in San Jose, a monument to the contributions and the challenges of America's first Chinese immigrants.
Our celebration includes:​
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a Taoist priest ceremony
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community participation in burning incense and offerings for our ancestors and those buried at the cemetery
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traditional foods to share
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(NEW for 2026) Kite making booth led by the Scouts of America.
Swipe to view photos from previous Ching Ming Jie ceremonies!
What is the South Bay Historic Chinese American Cemetery?
In 1902, the Santa Clara Chinese community banded together to raise funds and buy a plot of land to bury their dead. As they were not allowed to bury their dead in existing cemeteries, this land was passed down and maintained by the Santa Clara Chinese American community for over 100 years to the modern day.
The historic Chinese American Cemetery of San Jose is located on Curtner Avenue, adjacent to the Oak Hill Cemetery. It is a small plot of land, 140 feet by 160 feet, with an altar and a burner for paper offerings. The cemetery contains more than 249 graves of early Chinese pioneers in the country.
Today, our goal is to preserve the history of this cemetery through various means. These include archiving and recording oral histories of members of the organization to provide resources for current and future historians, building a monument memorializing the Chinese Americans who lived and died in Santa Clara and those still in the cemetery, and engaging with local youths to keep the story alive in the next generation.
STAY IN THE COMMUNITY
Our Projects
Archiving
Archiving existing materials and recording a history of the cemetery: Our Archiving Volunteers are preserving and digitizing the past and present of this historic land, starting with the original deed of purchase. The goal is to preserve and digitize the history of the cemetery for current and future historians.
