The Origin and Customs of Qingming Festival
The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. It is one of the most important and ancient festivals in China, with a history of over 2,500 years. Here is a detailed description of its origin and customs:
**Origin:**
The Qingming Festival is believed to have originated from ancient agricultural rituals. In ancient China, people had a strong reverence for ancestors and the earth. During the spring, when nature begins to flourish, the Qingming Festival became a time for people to pay their respects to their ancestors and to the earth. It was considered an auspicious time for planting and farming activities.
The festival's name, Qingming, is derived from the Chinese characters for "clear" (清) and "bright" (明), symbolizing the clearing of the skies and the bright, clear weather during this season. This clear weather made it a suitable time for outdoor activities, such as tomb-sweeping.
**Customs:**
1. **Tomb-Sweeping (扫墓, săomù):** This is the most significant activity during the Qingming Festival. Families visit the graves of their deceased ancestors to clean and tidy the tombstones, offer food, fruits, and other sacrifices, and pay their respects. They also burn paper money and other symbolic items to ensure that the spirits of their ancestors have enough wealth in the afterlife.
2. **Paying Homage to Ancestors:** Along with tomb-sweeping, families also gather to honor their ancestors by setting up an ancestral altar in their homes. Offerings of food, wine, incense, and paper replicas of money and other goods are made, and a prayer or incantation is recited.
3. **Hanging Willows:** Another custom is hanging willow branches on the doors of houses. It is believed that willow branches can ward off evil spirits and attract good luck.
4. **Flying Kites:** Kite-flying is a traditional Qingming activity. It is said that the wind at this time of year is particularly favorable for flying kites, and the custom dates back to ancient times when people thought flying kites would allow the spirits of their ancestors to ascend to heaven.
5. **Picking Tea Leaves:** Qingming is also known as Tea-Picking Day. It's the time when tea trees begin to bud, and tea leaves are harvested. This activity symbolizes the rejuvenation of nature and is a way for people to connect with the earth.
6. **Wearing Garlic:** Some people wear a garlic necklace or chew garlic during the Qingming Festival to protect themselves from evil spirits and to ward off disease.
These customs reflect the deep cultural values of filial piety, respect for ancestors, and the interconnectedness of humans with nature. The Qingming Festival is not only a time for honoring the deceased but also a celebration of new life and growth.
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