What happened to Tomb-Sweeping Day on April 6th?

The lunar calendar embodies the wisdom of our ancients. A year is divided into 24 solar terms according to the movement of the sun and several months according to the movement of the moon. Twelve miscarriages and big months add up to only 354 or 355 days. Compared with the two, the difference is about eleven days. In order to coordinate the two, the ancients adopted the method of "fixed leap", and one year in several years was thirteen months (leap month). Our 24 solar terms are not based on the lunar or solar calendar. Strictly speaking, they are based on the longitude of the sun. The path of the sun under the starry sky background is called the ecliptic. The vernal equinox is when the sun moves to 0 degrees longitude, which is a solar term of about 15 days. By analogy, "Qingming" is when the sun moves to longitude 15 degrees. Because of the leap year, the date of solar terms will change, but the date difference will only be within three days, and the date in Tomb-Sweeping Day will be between April 4th and 6th in the Gregorian calendar. For example, April 5th is in Tomb-Sweeping Day this year, and April 4th is in Tomb-Sweeping Day in 2009. Other traditional festivals, such as Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival, are based on the lunar calendar, so the Gregorian calendar dates vary greatly every year.

Because the 24 solar terms objectively reflect the changes of temperature, rainfall and phenology throughout the year, ancient working people used them to arrange agricultural activities. Qingming is on the fifteenth day after the vernal equinox. "When everything grows, it is clean and clear, hence the name Qingming." As soon as Qingming arrives, the temperature rises and the rainfall increases, which is a good season for spring ploughing and sowing. Therefore, there are agricultural proverbs such as "before and after Qingming, plant melons and beans" and "planting trees is not as good as Qingming".

Among the 24 solar terms, only Qingming is both a solar term and a festival. "Tomb-Sweeping Day" is not only a day to worship ancestors and sweep graves, but also called "Walking Festival". At this time, it is the season of bright spring and lush vegetation, which is suitable for people's spring outing.