Qing Ming Day is a traditional Chinese festival which usually comes at the early April. It  started from Zhou Dynasty and has a long history of more than 2,500 years.  

The next Monday, April 4, is the Qing Ming Day this year. It is a special day for paying tribute to our old ancestors. Many people would bring incense and food to visit the graves of their dead relatives and mourn for them. It is also a day marking one of the 24 divisions of the solar year in the traditional Chinese calendar. As the day comes, the air is becoming clear and bright which  makes people delighted. After Qing Ming, the day will become warmer and warmer and the Spring is fully showing everywhere with flowers blossoming and the willow turning green. Therefore, there are many different customs on the day, such as outing with families and friends, planting, swinging and Tzu-Chu (a ball game in ancient time, similar to football at present) . It was also closely connected with the cold food festival in some regions which comes on the day before or after Qing Ming and as the time goes by, people celebrate the two festivals together and eating cold food become an important part of Qing Ming Day.

Although people offer respect to the dead relatives, Qing Ming Day is  not a day for sadness. It is more than missing and reflection and people would rethink of their present life and make it more meanning in the future days. Therefore, the day comes with the Spring, full of hope and vitality.

Editor: Bu Lingduo

Source:UPC News Center