In April, Hangzhou is at its most enchanting, with flowers in full bloom. The name of the solar term “Qingming” literally means Pure Brightness.
Many foreign friends ask Hangzhoufeel, “Why do the Chinese talk about death during the most beautiful season of spring? The video today might shed some light on your confusion.
Solar Terms and the Universe is a special video series jointly produced by Hangzhoufeel, the International Education School of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, and the International Relations Office of ZCMU. Each episode provides you with intimate knowledge about Solar Terms and health tips.
The 24 solar terms are an important way for the Chinese to record the climate, and Qingming is the second-to-last solar term of spring. At this time, the temperature rises, making it a perfect season for spring plowing. Hence, there is a Chinese saying, “Before and after Qingming, plant melons and beans.
Qingming is also a traditional Chinese festival, originating over 2500 years ago in the Spring and Autumn Period. Chong’er, the Duke of Jin, initiated the customs of eating cold food and honoring ancestors to remember Jie Zitui, who had once rescued him from peril.
Unlike Western holidays like Halloween or the Day of the Dead, which are often associated with wild celebrations, the Chinese Qingming is more closely connected with nature. As recorded in the ancient book Meng Liang Lu, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the Qingming scene in Lin'an (today's Hangzhou) was such that “People of all social classes, whether rich or poor, would pour out of the city.” “Both officials and commoners would head to the outskirts to visit graves and pay their respects. Hiking outdoors in the spring sunshine to remember the deceased aligns with Zhuangzi's philosophy of “singing while beating a basin” — mourning the dead while also cherishing the living and embracing nature to nurture new life.
The Jiangnan region has a long history and profound cultural heritage. Since ancient times, the people in the region has placed great emphasis on family values and filial piety. Qingming has become an important time for family members to gather and pay respects to their ancestors together. By visiting and cleaning the graves of their ancestors, people not only express their respect and remembrance but also strengthen the cohesion and sense of identity within the family.
The Qingming Festival integrates customs from several traditional festivals, such as the Cold Food Festival and the Shangsi Festival. In Zhejiang, there are also folk activities like the “Silkworm Flower Fair” to pray for a bountiful harvest.
Qingming celebrated in Hangzhou with tea hills and warm embrace of daily life
The Qingming Festival in Hangzhou is typically accompanied by the aroma of tea and the sweetness of Qingming Cake.
In the early morning of the Longjing Tea Plantation, tea farmers have already begun their work, carrying bamboo baskets in the fields. Tileinge Hapulile, a student from Namibia studying at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, also went up the mountain early with his teacher, Chu Hailin, to experience the unique Qingming rituals of Hangzhou.
The famous Longjing tea from Hangzhou is ideally harvested around Qingming. Especially the “Mingqian Longjing” (Longjing tea harvested before the Qingming Festival) is considered the finest of all. At this time, the tea leaves are just sprouting tender buds, and the resulting tea is bright green in color and has a delicate aroma.
So, Qingming is not just a day to remember the departed, but also a reminder that we should live like the fresh buds of Longjing tea, savoring every pure and bright day under the spring sunshine.
Jouralist: Wang Jiao
Photograher: Jiang Zhongdi, Ding Shiyu
Editor: Fang Jingyi
Senior editor: Zhou Ji, Li Zheng
(Special thanks to Ye Sheng Huo Tea Experience Hall)
Source: Hangzhoufeel
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