Tomb Sweeping Festival
Things Chinese Do in Tomb Sweeping Festival – Chinese Folklore
For the Chinese, Qingming, first of all, a day to remember and honor one’s ancestor. People, young and old like, pray before the ancestors, sweep the bombs and offer food, tea, chopsticks, paper accessories and/or libation to the ancestor.
Also, they will not cook on this day and only cold food is served. The rites are very important to most Chinese and especially farmers, some people carry willow branches with them on Qingming. They think that willow branches help ward off the evil ghosts that wander on Qingming.
Qingming is also a day to celebrate the coming of spring. People go on family outings, start the spring ploughing, sing, dance etc. and it is a time where young couples start courting. Another popular thing to do is fly skies.
The April Fifth Movement was a major event involving Qingming that took place in the history of the People’s Republic of China. When Premier Zhou Enlai died in 1976, thousands visited him during the festival to pay respect.
Origin of Tomb Sweeping Festival – Chinese Folklore
It is said that festival was set up to memorialize Jie Zitui, a man of noted loyally during the Spring and Autumn Period. He helped his lord when his lord, Chonger, was in exile. When his lord’s power was restored, Mr. Jie refused to accept a position his lord offered to him because he was once ignored and forgotten.
He escaped with his mother to a mountain. His lord set a fire to try to force him out, and then force him to accept the position. Mr. Jie died in the fire. To commemorate Mr. Jie, his lord set aside the day he died as the original Qingming Festival.
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