BELLEVILLE, NJ — A traditional Chinese festival, Qingming, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English, was commemorated at the Chinese monument in the cemetery of the former Belleville Dutch Reformed Church, now Iglesia La Senda Antigua, on Saturday, April 17.
Fifty guests from New Jersey and New York gathered under sunny skies to remember the first Chinese immigrants on the East Coast of the United States, who died and were buried in Belleville and in what is today North Arlington.
This event has been organized by the Belleville Historical Society and the United Chinese American Association of New Jersey for the past five years; the 2020 event was limited to three people due to the pandemic.
According to Belleville Historical Society President Michael Perrone, by the spring of 1871, two of Belleville’s young Chinese immigrants had died.
“We built this monument so that Ah Ling and Zing Sing, and the others who died and were buried here, 6,000 miles from home, would always be remembered,” Perrone said.
Margaret Lam, founder and co-chairperson of the UCAANJ, presented Lillian Ortiz, the church’s pastor, with a check for $25,000 to help with the repair of the church steeple. Also participating in the event were Englewood Cliffs Council President William Woo, who also serves as co-chairperson of UCAANJ; Belleville Councilmen Steven Rovell and Vincent Cozzarelli; and Montclair Councilman Robert Russo. Tiesha Maranda presented a commendation from state Sen. Theresa Ruiz.
Those in attendance took the opportunity to speak out against the current wave of anti-Asian violence. Perrone said that in the 1800s the people of Belleville served as an example for all of America on acceptance and respect for all people and that the example they set in the 19th century should also serve as an example today.
The Chinese monument was built by the Belleville Historical Society in 2016.
Photos Courtesy of Michael Perrone
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