This year, China’s Qingming festival (the most common English translations of Qingming are “Clear Bright Festival” and “Tomb Sweeping Day”) will be celebrated on April 4. Its name implies that it is time for people to go outside and enjoy the greenness of spring and to tend to the graves of departed ones.
Qingming has regularly been observed as a public holiday in Taiwan and in Hong Kong and Macau. Its observance was reinstated as a nationwide public holiday in mainland China in 2008. Although it has no holiday status there, it is also celebrated in Singapore and Malaysia.
Qingming is celebrated by honoring the ancestors (tomb sweeping) and by enjoying the return of spring (spring outing).
Tomb sweeping is regarded as the most important aspect of Qingming. During this time, the tombs of ancestors are visited. Visitors to the tombs pray, sweep and offer favorite food and drink to ancient ancestors. Some people carry willow branches or place them on gates or doors as it said to ward off the evil spirits that wander during Qingming.
The Spring Outing is celebrated by being outside, appreciating nature, looking at the blooming flowers and flying kites. After being flown for a while, the kites are set free as a sign of good luck and good fortune.
The origins of this festival are interesting. The Qingming Festival was originally held to commemorate a loyal man living in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), named Jie Zitui. It has been said that Jie cut a piece of meat from his own leg in order to save his hungry leader who was forced to go into exile when the crown was in jeopardy.
When the leader came back to his position nineteen years later, he had forgotten all about Jie Zitui. He soon remembered and wanted to reward him. However, Jie had blocked himself up in a mountain with his mother. In order to find Jie, the master ordered that the mountain be set on fire. Jie was soon found dead along with his mother. In order to commemorate Jie, the master ordered that the day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival (the day before Qingming) - the day that only cold food could be eaten.
The second year, when the master went to the mountain to sacrifice to Jie, he found willows were growing so he gave instructions that they day after Hanshi was to be called Qingming , so he gave instructions that the day after Hanshi Festival was to be Qingming Festival.
Later, the two festivals were combined as one - Qingming Festival.
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