A 25-year-old man from Guangxi province in southern China hit the jackpot during this year’s Qing Ming Festival after scratching lottery tickets while paying respects at his ancestors’ tomb.
The young man purchased 60 lottery scratch cards for 600 yuan ($108) and brought them to his ancestors’ grave during the traditional tomb-sweeping ceremony, hoping for some supernatural luck.
While kowtowing at the gravesite, he scratched all 60 tickets and soon uncovered a 4,000-yuan ($722) prize on one of the cards.
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Overwhelmed by his initial win, the man immediately performed four more kowtows to show gratitude to his ancestors before continuing to scratch the same ticket.
He eventually won a total of 10,000 yuan ($1,800).
The lucky winner shared that this was his most significant lottery win ever, as he had almost never won lotteries or prizes before this fortunate event.
Growing Trend Among Young Chinese During Grave-Sweeping Traditions
This practice of bringing lottery scratch cards to ancestral tombs has become increasingly common among young Chinese during the Qing Ming Festival.
In southern provinces like Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan, visiting ancestors’ tombs is a major annual event. Families typically prepare traditional offerings, including roast pigs and joss paper.
Many follow the tradition, believing their dedication will result in good fortune and career success through their ancestors’ blessings.
Some superstitions related to ancestor worship include bringing specific foods like apples, tofu, and lettuce, which symbolize peace, happiness, and wealth, as well as avoiding bright-colored clothing.
Some young people even bring their favorite modern treats, such as milk tea, to their ancestors’ tombs as a sign of honesty and connection.
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The lottery winner posted photos of his winning tickets on social media with the simple message: “Thank you ancestors.”
According to South China Morning Post, his post attracted 90,000 likes and 20,000 comments.
“Your ancestors seem quite different from mine. I did not win anything this year,” one person commented.
Another joked, “Young people today are putting too much pressure on their ancestors.”
A third commenter observed: “Burn joss paper worth dozens of yuan and make wishes worth millions.”
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Lottery Scratch Cards Gaining Popularity Despite Recent Sales Decline
Lottery scratch cards have gained substantial popularity among young people in China in recent years due to their affordability and entertainment value.
According to China’s finance ministry, instant scratch cards generated revenue of 119 billion yuan ($21.5 billion) in 2023, double the amount from the previous year.
However, sales declined by 2.5 percent last year, partly due to a supply shortage that affected the market from May to November, according to The Economic Observer.
Not everyone approaches these traditions with the same expectations.
Another person from Guangxi who also scratched lottery cards at a family tomb said she only did it for fun and primarily believed in creating her fortune through hard work.
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