On April 5th, 2018, China will be celebrating the Qingming Festival (清明节), also known as Tomb-sweeping Day (扫坟节). This holiday takes place on the fifteenth day after the Spring Equinox and is often called “Chinese Memorial Day” or “Ancestors’ Day.” Literally, the name of the holiday signifies “Pure Brightness Festival,” and the festival takes place in order for the Chinese to remember their ancestors. Some traditional events that are observed during the Qingming Festival are visiting graves to honor ancestors, praying and sweeping tombs, and providing offerings, such as foods and drinks (like wine or tea), to the deceased. Additionally, the Chinese carry willow branches in order to ward off evil spirits and burn paper money and paper models of everyday objects to deliver them to the spirits of the afterlife, since the Chinese believe that even the deceased are still in need of these materials.
Because the Qingming Festival takes place in the springtime, it is also time during which families go on spring outings, fly kites, and carry flowers. Of course, what is a Chinese holiday without food? During the Qingming Festival in mainland China, the Chinese eat qingtuan (青团), which is a type of green rice and barley dumpling typically filled with red bean paste, which I personally really enjoy.
Have you ever heard of this Chinese holiday? Let us know your thoughts on Qingming Jie in the comments below!
Sources:
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/china/
http://jadeturtlerecords.blogspot.com/2011/04/qingming-festival.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingming_Festival
This is so interesting! It’s not every day that I can learn about a Chinese holiday I never knew about! I even learned that the Chinese carry willow branches in order to ward off evil spirits and burn paper money and paper models of everyday objects to deliver them to the spirits of the afterlife! Great Job!
I knew about Qingming Jie but this article helped me remember my knowledge on it. It also taught me some details I had never heard before such as the part that the Chinese carry willow blankets to ward off evil spirits
This article helped me learn more about Qingming Jie. It’s interesting how there is a holiday in China meant to remember your ancestors. Also, Qingtuan seems delicious!
I didn’t know that Chinese people burned paper copies of everyday objects on Qingming Jie! I also haven’t heard of 青团, but it sounds really good and I would love to try it!
It’s interesting to learn more about the traditions of this holiday that I never knew about, such as the tradition of carrying willow branches.
This article is very interesting and helps understand more about Qingming Jie and how it is a Chinese holiday about remember our ancestors
This is very interesting! I had no idea that people go on spring outings, fly kites, and carry flowers on this holiday!
This is a very interesting article! I’ve heard about 清明节 but I didn’t know a lot about so this article helped me understand more about it.
How cool! Never knew about Qingming Jie as a holiday until now! Amazing!
Wow, I did not even know that Qingming Jie was a holiday until now, and a very important one too! I learned a lot about this holiday, it is very important to honor your ancestors.
This festival happened on April 5th and and this is know as Tomb-sweeping Day.
清明节一直是中国人非常重视的节日之一，人们会在这一天去缅怀已故的亲人，并且为他们烧纸，祭奠等等，这都是人们为了亲人可以在天堂过的很好，不愁吃不愁喝。