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Qingming Festival (or Ching Ming Festival) is an important traditional Chinese holiday and also one of the Chinese 24 solar terms. It is also called the Tomb-sweeping Day, for on that day the Chinese people will offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the deceased [dɪˈsiːst], Because the weather is usually clear and bright at that time, it is also called Pure (or Clear) Brightness Festival.

As one of the twenty-four solar terms, it is an important seasonal symbol for agriculture (farming) yAfter the festival, the temperature begins to rise up and rainfall increases. So it marks a good time to plow and sow.

Qingming is also a time for the Chinese people to go outside to enjoy the greenery (green plants or branches, especially when cut and used as decoration) of Spring season.

DATE AND HOLIDAY DURATIONS

The Qingming Festival is usually held on April 4 or April 5. The Chinese people will have one day off to celebrate the festival. As it is usually combined with the neighboring weekend, people will have three days off for the holiday. The following chart shows the exact times for the festival in the following years and holiday durations:

ORIGIN

The Qingming Festival was originated from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) to commemorate a loyal official called Jie Zitui. He saved his emperor by cutting a piece of meat from his own leg during his exile /ˈek.saɪl/ (the condition of someone being sent or kept away from their own country, village, etc., especially for political reasons) time. After the emperor returned to the country 19 years later, he forgot Jie Zitui. Reminding by other officials, the emperor realized his mistake and tried to find Jie. However, Jie lived in seclusion /səˈkluː.ʒən/ (the state of being alone, away from other people) with his mother in the mountain. The emperor set fire to the mountain to smoke Jie out under the suggestion of some officials. At last, Jie and his mother were dead under a willow tree. The regret emperor ordered the day that Jie died to be Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival to commemorate him. On that day, no fire was allowed and only cold food can be eaten. The second year after Jie died, the emperor went to the mountain to sacrifice him and found the dead willow where Jie died besides revived. So, he gave the willow the name of ‘Qingming Willow’ and set the day after Hanshi Festival to be Qingming Festival. Gradually, the two festivals combined into the present Qingming Festival.

IMPORTANT CUSTOMS

The most important custom for Qingming Festival is to offer sacrifice to the ancestors and the dead family members. People will go to the cemeteries to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. Food and flowers are usually offered to the dead. Also they will burn sme paper money hoping the dead can live with enough food and clothes in the other world.

In America and other parts of the Western World, white, yellow, and pink chrysanthemums are used to decorate gardens and front yards. They represent optimism and joy in American culture.

But in Chinese culture, white and yellow chrysanthemums are used for funerals [ˈfjuːnərəl] and therefore represent death. The color white in Chinese culture is always associated with death and funerals. 

So normal people will bring several bounches of white or yellow chrysanthemum flowers. 

Another important custom is to travel outside during the Qingming Festival. As the weather is good during these days, it is a very good time for the people to take a walk in the countryside.

Other activities for the festival include flying kites, planting willow trees and playing on the swing.

FAMOUS TANG POEM - QING MING (清明) BY DU MU

清明时节雨纷纷，

qīng míng shíjiéyǔ fēn fēn

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Qing Ming Festival,

路上行人欲断魂。

lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún

The mourner’s heart is breaking on his way.

借问酒家何处有？

jiè wèn jiǔ jiā héchù yǒu

Where can a winehouse be found to drown his sadness?

牧童遥指杏花村。

mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūn

A cowherd points to Almond Flower (Xing Hua) Village in the distance.

Mourning day to feel or express great sadness, especially because of someone's death

Our country China will observe a national day of mourning on Saturday for martyrs  [ˈmɑːrtərz] 烈士 Including the doctor Li Wenliang, who sacrificed their lives in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and the over 3,300 people who died in out coontry

During the commemoration, national flags will fly at half-mast across the country and in all public recreational [ˌrekriˈeɪʃənl] activities will be suspended across the country, official media reported on Friday.

At 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Chinese people nationwide will observe three minutes of silence to mourn the deceased  [dɪˈsiːst], while air raid sirens and horns of automobiles, trains and ships will wail in grief.

Fourteen frontline workers in Central China Hubei Province, including doctor Li Wenliang, were identified as martyrs on Thursday for sacrificing their lives in combating the COVID-19 outbreak.

The first group of martyrs includes 12 medics  (a medical student or doctor) one police officer and one community worker who fought on the frontlines. The oldest one was a 73-year-old while the youngest was 30 years old. Handcraft: party bag