Qingming Festival
From ChinaTravelGuide
The Qingming Festival (清明节) was officially created by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong in 732, but the practice of the custom of Hanshi (寒食), which was combined with the Qingming Festival about 300 years ago, was started during the Zhou Dynasty, and has a history of over 2500 years.
Today the Qingming Festival is mainly celebrated to honor and pay respect to the deceased. In some ways, it's similar to some memorial day holidays in western countries or "The Day of the Dead" in Mexican heritage. In the United States, April 4th coincides with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.
The Qingming Festival falls on 4th or 5th day of April of the solar calendar each year. It's a seasonal symbol marking the start of prime spring sowing and plowing season. It's also a day for a spring outing and other activities. It's a day filled with both sadness and happiness.
2008 is the first year that the Qingming Festival is an official holiday in mainland China.
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[edit] History
Legend says that the Qingming Festival was originally created to honor a loyal servant, Jie Zitui (介之推), of the Spring and Autumn Period (722 - 481 BC). The Duke Wen of the state of Jin (晋文公) was forced to be on the run from the royal struggle. At one time, his friend and servant, Jie Zitui, cut a piece of meat from his leg to save his hungry Duke's life. When the Duke Wen was restored to his throne almost twenty years later, he rewarded all of his helpers, but forgot Jie Zitui. Later the Duke Wen felt ashamed of that, and ordered to locate Jie. But Jie had hid inside a mountain called Mianshan (绵山) with his mother, and was not willing to get out. Following the suggestion of his advisor, the Duke Wen ordered to set the three sides of the mountain on fire while keep one side open to force Jie out. But Jie was found dead holding a big willow tree trunk with his mother, along with a bloody note in a hole on the trunk:
- Simplified Chinese
- 割肉奉君尽丹心，但愿主公常清明。
- 柳下作鬼终不见，强似伴君作谏臣。
- 倘若主公心有我，忆我之时常自省。
- 臣在九泉心无愧，勤政清明复清明。
- Traditional Chinese
- 割肉奉君盡丹心，但願主公常清明。
- 柳下作鬼終不見，強似伴君作諫臣。
- 倘若主公心有我，憶我之時常自省。
- 臣在九泉心無愧，勤政清明復清明。
The Duke Wen sadly ordered to rename the mountain Mianshan to Mt. Jie (介山) (in Today's Jiexiu County of Shanxi province). To honor Jie, the Duke Wen also ordered that day to be Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival - the day that one can only eat cold food.
A year later, the Duke Wen went back to the mountain to pay respect to Jie. He found the willow tree had come back to life. He quietly picked up some budding willow branches, plaited into a wreath, and put on his head to show his respect. And he ordered that the day after Hanshi Festival was to be the Qingming Festival. Later, the two festivals were combined as one - Qingming Festival (清明).
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Tomb Sweeping
The Qingming Festival is a day for people to remember and honor the deceased. Young and old come to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. The rites are very popular in China especially in countryside. However, the customs have been greatly simplified today as cremation gets more common than burying. On this day people clear away weeds around the tomb and add fresh soil to show care of the dead. After gently sweeping the tombs, people usually offer food, tea, wine, flowers and favorites of the dead, then say the good prayers, and finally burn incense and paper money and bow before tomb to show their respect.
[edit] Family Outings
Spring is a time when nature is again lively as trees turn green, flowers blossom. It has been a tradition for Chinese people to go on family outings on the Qingming Festival.
So expect to see more tourists starting from the Qingming Festival.
[edit] Flying Kites
Flying Kites is another popular thing to do on the Qingming Festival. You can see all different kinds of kites in shapes of stars, animals, or characters from Chinese opera on this day.
[edit] Planting Trees
The Qingming Festival is a seasonal symbol of planting season. The warmer weather and and increasing rainfall help the newly planted tree survive better and grow faster. As a matter of fact, the Qingming Festival was called "Arbor Day" until 1979 when the "Arbor Day" was settled on March 12 of the solar calendar.
