Qingming Festival (Tomb-sweeping Day)

Qingming Festival (also known as Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day), which falls
on either April 4th or 5th of the Gregorian calendar, is one of the Chinese Twenty-four Solar
Terms. From that date temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, indicating that it is the
crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring. The festival therefore has a close relationship
with agriculture. However, it is not only a seasonal symbol; it is also a day of paying respect to
the dead, a spring outing, and other activities.
Origin
It is said that the Qingming Festival was originally held to commemorate a loyal man living in
the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), named Jie Zitui. Jie cut a piece of meat from his
own leg in order to save his hungry lord who was forced to go into exile when the crown was in
jeopardy. The lord came back to his position nineteen years later, and forgot Jie Zitui but later
felt ashamed and decided to reward him. However, Jie had blocked himself up in a mountain
with his mother. In order to find Jie, the lord ordered that the mountain should be set on fire.
Later Jie was found dead with his mother. In order to commemorate Jie, the lord ordered that the
day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival - the day that only cold food could be eaten.
Spring Outing during Qingming Festival
Spring Outing during Qingming Festival The second year, when the lord went to the mountain to
sacrifice to Jie, he found willows revived, so he gave instructions that the day after Hanshi
Festival was to be Qingming Festival. Later, the two festivals were combined as one.
Traditional Customs
Qingming Festival is a time of many activities, among which the main ones are tomb sweeping,
taking a spring outing, and flying kites. Some other lost customs like wearing willow branches
on the head and riding on swings have added infinite joy in past days. It is a combination of
sadness and happiness.
Tomb Sweeping
Tomb-sweeping is regarded as the most important custom in the Qingming Festival, from which
the name of Tomb-sweeping day is got. Cleaning the tomb and paying respect to the dead person
with offerings are the two important parts of remembering the past relatives. Weeds around the
tomb are cleared away and fresh soil is added to show care of the dead. The dead person's
favourite food and wine are taken to sacrifice to them, along with paper resembling money. This
is all burned in the hope that the deceased are not lacking food and money. Kowtow before the
tablets set up for the dead are made.
Today, with cremation taking over from burying, the custom has been extremely simplified in
cities. Only flowers are presented to the dead relatives and revolutionary martyrs. No matter how
respect is shown, good prayers for the deceased are expressed.
All in all, the Qingming Festival is an occasion of unique characteristics, integrating sorrowful
tears to the dead with the continuous laughter from the spring outing.

清明节（清明节）

清明节（又称清明节或清明节），落在公历的 4 月 4 日或 5 日，是中国二十四节气之一。从那时
起，气温开始上升，降雨量开始增加，表明这是春季耕作和播种的关键时期。因此，这个节日与
农业有着密切的关系。然而，它不仅是季节性的象征；也是祭奠死者、春游等活动的日子。

起源

相传清明节最初是为了纪念春秋时期（公元前 770 年—公元前 476 年）一位忠义之士，名叫介子

推。为救王位危在旦夕而被迫流放的饥饿领主，杰从自己的腿上切下了一块肉。君王十九年后归
位，忘记了介子推，后来羞愧难当，决定嘉奖他。然而，杰却和他的母亲将自己堵在了山上。为
了找到介，领主下令放火烧山。后来杰被发现与母亲同归于尽。为了纪念介，领主下令介死的那
天是寒食节——只能吃冷食的日子。

清明春游

清明春游二年，公上山祭桀时，见柳树复生，便吩咐寒食后一日为清明节。后来，这两个节日合
二为一。

传统习俗

清明节活动多，主要有扫墓、春游、放风筝等。其他一些失传的风俗，如头戴柳枝、骑秋千等，
为往日增添了无限欢乐。它是悲伤和快乐的结合。

清明节

清明节被视为最重要的习俗，清明节的名称由此而来。扫墓和祭祀是缅怀过去亲人的两个重要部
分。坟墓周围的杂草被清除，并添加新鲜的土壤以表示对死者的照顾。死者最喜欢的食物和酒被
用来祭祀他们，还有像钱一样的纸。这一切都烧了，希望死者不缺粮缺钱。在为死者准备的牌位
制成之前磕头。
如今，随着火葬取代埋葬，城市中的习俗已极为简化。只有鲜花献给死去的亲人和革命烈士。无
论表现出怎样的尊重，都表达了对死者的良好祈祷。

春游

它不仅是纪念死者的日子，也是人们享受自我的日子。三月，大自然的一切都焕然一新，树木变
绿，鲜花盛开，阳光明媚。正是外出欣赏大自然美景的好时机。这种习俗可以追溯到唐朝（618 -
907），后来每个朝代都沿用至今。所以在节日期间到处都可以看到游客。

春游不仅给生活增添乐趣，还能促进身心健康。

总而言之，清明节是一个别具特色的节日，在春游的欢声笑语中，为逝者带来了悲伤的泪水。

Qīngmíng jié (qīngmíng jié)

qīngmíng jié (yòu chēng qīngmíng jié huò qīngmíng jié), luò zài gōnglì de 4 yuè 4 rì huò 5 rì, shì
zhōngguó èrshísì jiéqì zhī yī. Cóng nà shí qǐ, qìwēn kāishǐ shàngshēng, jiàngyǔ liàng kāishǐ zēngjiā,
biǎomíng zhè shì chūnjì gēngzuò hé bōzhòng de guānjiàn shíqí. Yīncǐ, zhège jiérì yǔ nóngyè yǒuzhe
mìqiè de guānxì. Rán'ér, tā bùjǐn shì jìjié xìng de xiàngzhēng; yěshì jìdiàn sǐzhě, chūnyóu děng huódòng
de rìzi.

Qǐyuán

xiāngchuán qīngmíng jié zuìchū shì wèile jìniàn chūnqiū shíqí (gōngyuán qián 770 nián—gōngyuán qián
476 nián) yī wèi zhōngyì zhī shì, míng jiào jièzǐ tuī. Wèi jiù wángwèi wēizàidànxì ér bèi pò liúfàng de jī'è
lǐngzhǔ, jié cóng zìjǐ de tuǐ shàng qiè xiàle yīkuài ròu. Jūnwáng shíjiǔ nián hòu guī wèi, wàngjìle jièzǐ tuī,
hòulái xiūkuì nándāng, juédìng jiājiǎng tā. Rán'ér, jié què hé tā de mǔqīn jiāng zìjǐ dǔ zàile shānshàng.
Wèile zhǎodào jiè, lǐngzhǔ xiàlìng fànghuǒ shāo shān. Hòulái jié pī fà xiàn yǔ mǔqīn tóngguīyújìn. Wèile
jìniàn jiè, lǐngzhǔ xiàlìng jiè sǐ dì nèitiān shì hánshí jié——zhǐ néng chī lěngshí de rìzi.

Qīngmíng chūnyóu
qīngmíng chūnyóu èr nián, gōng shàngshān jì jié shí, jiàn liǔshù fùshēng, biàn fēnfù hánshí hòu yī rì wèi
qīngmíng jié. Hòulái, zhè liǎng gè jiérì hé èr wéi yī.

Chuántǒng xísú
qīngmíng jié huódòng duō, zhǔyào yǒu sǎomù, chūnyóu, fàng fēngzhēng děng. Qítā yīxiē shīchuán de
fēngsú, rú tóu dài liǔ zhī, qí qiūqiān děng, wèi wǎngrì zēngtiān liǎo wúxiàn huānlè. Tā shì bēishāng hé
kuàilè de jiéhé.

Qīngmíng jié
qīngmíng jié bèi shì wéi zuì zhòngyào de xísú, qīngmíng jié de míngchēng yóu cǐ ér lái. Sǎomù hé jìsì shì
miǎnhuái guòqù qīnrén de liǎng gè zhòngyào bùfèn. Fénmù zhōuwéi de zá cǎo bèi qīngchú, bìng tiānjiā
xīnxiān de tǔrǎng yǐ biǎoshì duì sǐzhě de zhàogù. Sǐzhě zuì xǐhuān de shíwù hé jiǔ bèi yòng lái jìsì tāmen,
hái yǒu xiàng qián yīyàng de zhǐ. Zhè yīqiè dōu shāole, xīwàng sǐzhě bù quē liáng quē qián. Zài wèi sǐzhě
zhǔnbèi de páiwèi zhì chéng zhīqián kētóu.

Rújīn, suí zháo huǒzàng qǔdài máizàng, chéngshì zhōng de xísú yǐ jíwéi jiǎnhuà. Zhǐyǒu xiānhuā xiàn gěi
sǐqù de qīnrén hé gémìng lièshì. Wúlùn biǎoxiàn chū zěnyàng de zūnzhòng, dōu biǎodále duì sǐzhě de
liánghǎo qídǎo.

Chūnyóu
tā bùjǐn shì jìniàn sǐzhě de rìzi, yěshì rénmen xiǎngshòu zìwǒ de rìzi. Sān yuè, dà zìrán de yīqiè dōu
huànrányīxīn, shùmù biàn lǜ, xiānhuā shèngkāi, yángguāng míngmèi. Zhèng shì wàichū xīnshǎng dà zìrán
měijǐng de hǎo shíjī. Zhè zhǒng xísú kěyǐ zhuīsù dào táng cháo (618 - 907), hòulái měi gè cháodài dōu
yányòng zhìjīn. Suǒyǐ zài jiérì qíjiān dàochù dōu kěyǐ kàn dào yóukè.

Chūnyóu bùjǐn gěi shēnghuó zēng tiān lèqù, hái néng cùjìn shēnxīn jiànkāng.

Zǒng'éryánzhī, qīngmíng jié shì yīgè bié jù tèsè de jiérì, zài chūnyóu de huānshēng xiàoyǔ zhòng, wèi shì
zhě dài láile bēishāng de lèishuǐ.