Tomb-sweeping Day(清明节)

Tomb-SweepingdayTomb-sweepingdayTomb-sweepingdayprofileTomb-sweepingdayoriginTomb-sweepingdaycustomPoetryoftheTangDynastyTomb-sweepingdayprofileQingMingisatimetorememberthedeadandthedearlydeparted.Moreimportant,itisaperiodtohonorandtopayrespecttoone'sdeceasedancestorsandfamilymembers.Becauseitreinforcestheethicoffilialpiety,QingMingisamajorChinesefestival.Literallymeaning"clear"(Qing)and"bright"(Ming),thisChinesefestivalfallsinearlyspring,onthe106thdayafterthewintersolstice.Itisa"spring"festival,anditisanoccasionforthewholefamilytoleavethehomeandtosweepthegravesoftheirforebears.Chinesebeingpracticalpeoplethissweepingofthegravesisgivenanextendedperiod,thatis,10daysbeforeandafterQingMingday.Amongsomedialectgroupsawholemonthisallocated.Chinahasalonghistoryofancestorworship,asearlyasinancienttimeshadtheemperors,governorstosacrificeceremony,templeofthespringandautumnperiodConfuciusMuJi,theseallbelongtonoblepeculiar.Inqin,noblesystemafterthefall,justhavethegeneralpublicofferingtotheancestorsofgravecustom.GeneralTomb-sweepingdaygravecanbedividedintotwokindsofceremony:返回Theoriginoftomb-sweepingdayORIGINQingMingispopularlyassociatedwithJieZiZhui,wholivedinShanxiprovincein600B.C.LegendhasitthatJiesavedhisstarvinglord'slifebyservingapieceofhisownleg.Whenthelordsucceededinbecomingtherulerofasmallprincipality,heinvitedhisfaithfulfollowertojoinhim.However,Jiedeclinedhisinvitation,preferringtoleadahermit'slifewithhismotherinthemountains.BelievingthathecouldforceJieoutbyburningthemountain,thelordorderedhismentosettheforestonfire.Tohisconsternation,Jiechosetoremainwherehewasandwasburnttodeath.TocommemorateJie,thelordorderedallfiresineveryhometobeputoutontheanniversaryofJie'sdeath.Thusbeganthe"coldfoodfeast",adaywhennofoodcouldbecookedsincenofirecouldbelit.The"coldfood"festivaloccursontheeveofQingMingandisoftenconsideredaspartoftheQingMingfestival.Astimepasses,theQingMingfestivalreplacedthe"coldfood"festival.返回TombSweepingorAncestorWorshipping扫墓ThemajorcustominQingmingFestivalistombsweeping.Accordingtofolkreligion,thespiritsofdeceasedancestorsstillliveundergroundandlookafterthefamily;thetombsaresaidtobetheirhouses;thusitisveryimportanttokeepthetombsclean.SpringOuting春游、踏青Itisafinetimetogooutandtoappreciatethebeautifulscenesofnatureduringthefestival.ThiscustomcanbetracedbacktotheTangDynastyandfollowedbyeachdynastylatertilltoday.FlyingKites放风筝Whatmakesflyingkitesduringthisfestivalspecialisthatpeoplecutthestringwhilethekiteisintheskytoletitflyfree.Itissaidthisbringsgoodluckandthatdiseasescanbeeliminatedbydoingthis.Swinging荡秋千Thecommonswinghasofferedsporttomanychildrenthroughouttheworld.DuringtheMingDynasty,swingingwasadesignatedrecreationontheQingmingFestival,alsoknownastheClearandBrightFestivalortheTombSweepingFestival.Becausethefestivalgenerallyoccursinmid-spring,manyalsousetheoccasionforfamilyoutings.PlantingWillowTrees插柳BecauseJieZituidiedembracingawillowtree,thewillowisbelievedtohavemiraculouspowersagainstevil.DuringtheQingmingFestival,willowbranchesarehungondoorfrontsandusedtosweepthetombs.Eatqingmingfruit唐诗《清明》——杜牧清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。借问酒家何处有？牧童遥指杏花村。《寒食》——韩翃春城无处不飞花，寒食东风御柳斜。日暮汉宫传蜡烛，轻烟散入五侯家Thisyear’stomb-sweepingdayisinApril5th,lotsofpeoplegohomeinthisholiday.Thoughtheweatherisn’tgood,butitcan’tstopthemfromgoinghome.Someofussweepthetombsintherain,thisisanewexperience.Thanks