What is the origin of Tomb-Sweeping Day?

Tomb-Sweeping Day originated from ancient ancestral beliefs and spring sacrificial customs. According to the research results of modern anthropology and archaeology, the two most primitive beliefs of human beings are the belief in heaven and earth and the belief in ancestors. According to archaeological excavations, a 10,000-year-old tomb was found at the Qingtang site in Yingde, Guangdong Province, which is the earliest tomb in China, indicating that ancient ancestors had a clear sense of burial behavior and customs thousands of years ago. The custom of "grave-sweeping sacrifice" has a long history, and Qingming "grave-sweeping sacrifice" is the synthesis and sublimation of traditional spring customs.

The establishment of the ancient branch calendar provided decisive conditions for the formation of festivals. Ancestor belief and sacrificial culture were important factors in the formation of ancestral worship custom in Qingming Festival. Tomb-Sweeping Day is rich in customs, which can be summarized as two festivals and traditions: one is to respect the ancestors and be cautious to the end; The second is outing and getting close to nature.

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Stories and legends

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhong Er, the son of the Jin Dynasty, was exiled. Hungry and dizzy on the way, the minister meson pushed the meat on his thigh to eat. Later, my son Zhong Er became Jin Wengong, and the loyal minister forgot to recommend him. When Zhong Er remembered this incident, Jiezitui refused to be an official again and lived in Mianshan behind his mother's back. Zhong Er asked Yamakaji to force him out of the mountain, but the fire burned for three days and no one came out. He went up the mountain and found himself and his mother burned to death. On the charred willow tree, there is a big fairy who writes a bloody poem, "May the Lord be always clear when I cut meat and serve you."

Therefore, Zhong Er designated the day when Yamakaji was released as Cold Food Festival. The next day, Zhong Er climbed the mountain to pay homage and found that the old willow tree was resurrected. He named it "Qingming Willow", and named it Tomb-Sweeping Day, in order to pay homage and encourage himself to be diligent and clear.