Name: Muhammad Haseeb

Roll no: 128-BSCS-18

Section: B
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. History
3. Sight Seeing’s
4. Observance
 South Korea
 Vietnam
5. Food
 Cold Food Festival

Introduction:
The cold food festival is also known as Hanshi festival. It is a traditional Chinese holiday which
remembered Jie Zhitui, a nobleman of the state of Jin (modern Shanxi) during the spring and
autumn period. Traditionally the festival holiday starts on April 4th or 5th and ends on April 6th or
7th. It lasts for three days, during which people abstain from making a fire and instead eat cold
food prepared in advance. Although the festival is no longer celebrated but the activities and
traditional foods have been incorporated into the Qingming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping
Festival.

History:
In the 7th century BCE, the Zhou Kingdom began to break up into its constituent parts. Ji
Chong’er, next in line for dukedom, was forced to flee for his life. Fifteen men followed him
into exile, including Jie Zhitui. When their supplies diminished, Jie sliced flesh from his own
thigh to feed the prince. Once Ji Chong’er was restored to power, he awarded those who stayed
with him, but he forgot Jie Zhitui. Saddened, Jie left with his mother to live in the forests. Ji
Chong’er attempted to bring him back to court but nothing worked. Finally, he burned the forest
to try and force Jie out. When the smoke cleared, the bodies of Jie and his mother were found
burnt and holding each other.

In his remorse, Ji Chong’er creates the Cold Food Festival as a memorial period for Jie. No fires
were allowed to be lit, so only cold foods could be consumed. Originally, it lasted up to an
entire month during winter. But hardship led limiting it to three days in the spring.

Sight Seeing’s:
The Cold Food Festival became popular all over China. At today's Mianshan Mountain, which
has become a tourist attraction, there are great statues of Jie and his mother, to show people's
respect for their indifference to fame and money.
Observance:
South Korea:
Hansik is the Korean equivalent to the Chinese Hanshi Festival. It occurs on the 105th day after
Dōngzhì. (April 5). The coming of warm weather is celebrated. In the morning, ancestors are
honored and ancestral tombs are visited and cleaned. Though Hansik, literally means “cold
food,” the custom of eating cold food has disappeared.

Vietnam:
The Vietnamese equivalent to the Chinese Hanshi Festival. It’s celebrated on the third day of
the third lunar month.

Food:
“Banh troi” and “banh chay” are two traditional food of Tet Han Thuc in Vietnam. “Banh troi”
are spheres made of glutinous rice flour with pieces of sugar inside. “Banh chay” is bigger than
“banh troi” and have sweet green bean paste inside instead of a piece of sugar. After all, has
been done, “banh troi” and “banh chay” will be put on a tray on the altar to offer the ancestor.
The householder will burn incense to invite ancestors to enjoy Cold Foods Festival with family.
When the liturgy of ancestor worship ended, all families will eat “banh troi” and “banh chay”
together. “Banh troi” is usually added to some coconut fibers and sesame; “banh chay” is
associated with sweet broth, said Vietnam Tourism.