City ready for tomb-sweeping's peak days

Shanghai is fully geared up for the upcoming annual tomb-sweeping peak period with traffic congestion predicted in areas leading to cemeteries, the city's civil affairs authorities said on Tuesday.

Winter Solstice, like Qingming Festival, is a time when people pay respects to their ancestors in China. It falls on December 22 this year.

There are five peak days this year – December 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24 – which are estimated to see the largest number of tomb sweepers, according to the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau.

Residents are called on to make reservations prior to their visits if they plan to visit on these five days, or wait if the real figure approaches safety capacity, the bureau said.

They are also called on to stagger their visits to avoid peak days, officials said.