In which dynasty did Qingming begin?

Tomb-Sweeping Day is one of the 24 solar terms in the lunar calendar. At the turn of mid-spring and late spring, that is, from winter to the future 106, it is a festival to worship ancestors, and the traditional activity is to sweep graves. The traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day in China can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty with a history of more than 2,500 years. About the origin of Tomb-Sweeping Day, it is said that it evolved from the ritual system of "tomb sacrifice" between ancient emperors and generals.

Later, people followed suit and sacrificed their ancestors to sweep the grave on this day. This tradition has been carried on for generations and eventually developed into today's Tomb-Sweeping Day. Cold food and Tomb-Sweeping Day are originally two different festivals. In the Tang Dynasty, the day of sweeping graves was designated as the Cold Food Festival. With the development of festival activities in later generations, Cold Food Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day gradually merged together.

Main customs

Tomb-Sweeping Day, 04-06, Gregorian calendar, the activities of offering sacrifices to sweep away the ancestors (Tomb-Sweeping Day) are usually 10 days before and 10 days after Tomb-Sweeping Day, and in some places, the activities of offering sacrifices to sweep away the ancestors last for one month. Tomb-Sweeping Day is one of the important "eight festivals a year" in China. As a festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day is different from pure solar terms. Solar terms are signs of phenological changes and seasonal order, while festivals contain spiritual beliefs and customs.

Ancestor belief and sacrificial culture are important factors in the formation of Tomb-Sweeping Day. Tomb-Sweeping Day is an important carrier of inheriting faith and family ethics. Qingming Festival is a cultural expression and an important way to thank ancestors and get close to human feelings. It has become a fixed theme to follow the custom of sweeping graves to worship ancestors in Tomb-Sweeping Day. Whenever people are in Tomb-Sweeping Day, they will go back to their hometown to participate in ancestor worship activities and remember their ancestors.

Refer to the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Tomb-Sweeping Day