Qingming Festival

The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is one of the 24 solar terms in China, falling between April 4th and 6th each year. After Qingming, temperatures rise and rainfall increases, making it an ideal time for spring plowing and sowing. However, as a festival, Qingming is not only a solar term guiding agricultural activities but also a day of remembrance. [Solar terms mark changes in nature and the seasons, while festivals carry customs and commemorative significance.] Therefore, this festival is unique, blending the sorrow of mourning the departed with the joy of outdoor outings.

Qingming is the most important day for paying respects to ancestors. The Han and some ethnic minorities present offerings to their ancestors and clean the exteriors of their graves. On this day, they avoid cooking with fire and eat only cold food. The Cold Food Festival (Hanshi) generally falls on the day before Qingming. Our ancestors gradually extended the customs of the Cold Food Festival into Qingming, and eventually, the two merged into one.

Every Qingming Festival, cemeteries are crowded with people coming to sweep graves and present offerings. The roads leading to cemeteries become extremely congested. Modern customs have become much simpler. After lightly cleaning the grave, people place food, flowers, and items the deceased enjoyed as offerings in front of the tomb, then light incense and candles, burn paper money, and bow before the grave.

In contrast to the sorrow of tomb sweeping, Qingming is also a time to enjoy life on bright and beautiful spring days. During Qingming, the sun shines, trees and grass turn green, and nature is full of vitality. Since ancient times, people have had the custom of spring outings, and everywhere you look, people are enjoying the outdoors.

Flying kites is another popular activity during Qingming. Actually, kite flying is not limited to this festival. During the Qingming season, people fly kites both during the day and at night. At night, strings of small, colorful lanterns are hung from the kites or the kite strings, resembling twinkling stars. These are called "divine lanterns."

Because saplings have a high survival rate and grow quickly, Qingming is also a good time for planting trees. In the past, Qingming was also called "Arbor Day." However, since 1979, March 12th of the Gregorian calendar has been designated as "Arbor Day."

When discussing Qingming, those with some historical knowledge will think of the historical figure Jie Zitui. According to historical records, during the Spring and Autumn Period over 2,000 years ago, Prince Chong'er of the State of Jin was in exile, living a difficult life. His follower, Jie Zitui, did not hesitate to cut a piece of flesh from his own leg to feed Chong'er. Later, Chong'er returned to Jin and became its ruler (known as Duke Wen of Jin, one of the five hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period). He generously rewarded all those who had followed him into exile, but Jie Zitui refused to accept any reward and went into seclusion on Mianshan Mountain with his mother.

Unable to think of another way, Duke Wen of Jin ordered the mountain to be set on fire, believing that the filial Jie Zitui would bring his mother out. However, the fire ended up burning both Jie Zitui and his mother to death. To commemorate Jie Zitui, Duke Wen ordered that on this day every year, no fire be lit and that people eat only cold food. This is the origin of the Cold Food Festival.

The Cold Food Festival falls on the day before Qingming. The ancients often extended the activities of the Cold Food Festival into Qingming, and over time, Qingming replaced the Cold Food Festival. The custom of honoring Jie Zitui gradually evolved into the custom of tomb sweeping on Qingming. No matter the form of remembrance, to make the ritual of honoring ancestors more meaningful, the younger generation should learn about the struggles and history of their forebears, and, of course, the unyielding spirit of Jie Zitui.

Source：Chinajob