What is the information about Qingming Festival?

The Qingming Festival is one of the twenty-four solar terms in the lunar calendar and falls at the intersection of mid-spring and late spring, 106 days after the winter solstice. The traditional Chinese Qingming Festival began around the Zhou Dynasty, more than 2,500 years ago. Almanac: "Fifteen days after the vernal equinox, Doo refers to Ding, for the Qingming, when everything is clean and clear, cover when the gas is clear and bright, everything is obvious, so the name." Qingming, the temperature rises, it is a good time for spring plowing and planting, so there is a "Qingming before and after, planting melons and beans," said. The Qingming Festival is a festival of ancestor worship, the traditional activities for sweeping graves. 2006 May 20, the folk festival by the State Council approved the inclusion of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.

The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day or Pure Brightness, is one of China's twenty-four festivals and falls on the fifth day of the fourth month of the solar calendar. (This holiday is now included in the national holiday 3 days). In 2009, the General Office of the State Council issued a notice on the arrangement of some holidays in 2010. The notice pointed out that, according to the "State Council on amending the" National Annual and Memorial Day Holiday Measures "decision", Qingming Festival holiday for three days. Because the 24 solar terms reflect the changes in temperature, rainfall and physical conditions throughout the year more objectively, the ancient labor Du Mu's "Qingming"

people used it to arrange for the conduct of agricultural activities. Huainanzi Tianwenxun (《淮南子-天文训》) said, "Fifteen days after the vernal equinox, when the bucket points to B, the wind of Qingming arrives." According to the "age and time 100 questions": "Everything grows at this time, are clean and clear. Therefore, it is called Qingming." Qingming, the temperature rises, rainfall increases, is a good time for spring plowing and planting. Therefore, there are "before and after the Qingming, point melon planting beans", "planting trees, no more than the Qingming" of the farmers' proverbs. It can be seen that this festival has a close relationship with agricultural production. However, as a festival, Qingming is different from a pure festival. The festival is a sign of the change of climate and the order of seasons in China, while the festival contains certain customary activities and some kind of commemorative significance. Qingming Festival is a traditional festival in China, and also the most important festival of sacrifices, a day for offering sacrifices to ancestors and sweeping tombs. Tomb-sweeping is commonly known as visiting the graves, an activity to honor the dead. Most Han Chinese and some ethnic minorities sweep their tombs on Qingming Day. According to the old custom, when sweeping tombs, people should bring wine, food, fruits, paper money and other items to the cemetery, offer the food in front of their loved ones' graves, then incinerate the paper money, cultivate new soil for the graves, fold a few tender green new branches and stick them on the graves, then bow down and perform rituals and worship, and then eat the wine and food and go home at last. Du Mu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in his poem "Qingming": "The rain falls one after another during the Qingming Festival, and the pedestrians on the road want to break their souls. Where can I find a tavern? The shepherd boy pointed to the apricot blossom village." The poem "Ching Ming Festival" wrote out the special atmosphere of Ching Ming Festival. Qingming Festival, also called Treading Green Festival, according to the solar calendar, it is between April 4 and 6 every year, it is the bright and beautiful spring grass and trees spitting green, but also is the people spring tour (ancient called trekking) good time, so the ancients have Qingming trekking, and a series of sports activities custom. In ancient times, there was also a saying, "March Festival". In the concept of the ancients, 108 is a large number representing completeness, good fortune, longevity and depth, and there is a deep meaning in placing Qingming on the 108th day after the winter solstice. Qingming's name, not only because of the growth of everything at this time clean and clear, but also because of this period of the sun is also fresh sun, flow in this period of yang qi between heaven and earth, is also fresh yang qi.

Editing this section of the historical development

Qingming Shanghe Tu

Legendary legend has it that after Dayu cured the water, people used the word "qingming" to celebrate that the flood had been eliminated, and the world was at peace. At this time, spring flowers bloom, everything is revived, the sky is clear, it is a good time for spring trekking. As early as in the Tang Dynasty has begun, inherited through the generations to become accustomed to. Trekking in addition to appreciate the nature of the lakes and mountains, spring scenery, but also to carry out a variety of recreational activities, add interest in life. Tomb-sweeping is popular during Qingming Festival, in fact, tomb-sweeping is the content of the Cold Food Festival one day before the Qingming Festival, which is rumored to have begun when Duke Wen of Jin mourned the death of Jie Zi Tui. In the 20th year of Emperor Xuanzong's reign, the Tang Emperor ordered the world to "go to the tomb on the cold food day". Since the cold food was connected with Qingming, it was later gradually passed down as Qingming Tomb-sweeping. During the Qingming period, tomb-sweeping was even more popular. In ancient times, children often flew kites when sweeping tombs. Some kites were equipped with bamboo flutes, which could sound like kites when blown by the wind, and it is said that this is how the name of kites came to be. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Qingming Festival was very common, and now Zhang Zeduan's <<Qingming Riverside Drawing>> which has been handed down, depicts the scene of people on both sides of the Bianhe River in Bianliang, Tokyo, during the Qingming Festival in the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty. Since 2008, China will be recognized as a legal holiday Qingming Festival, a day off. In 2009, it was changed to three days. It has been continued until now. Qingming is a time to visit tombs to show respect and remembrance for those who have passed away. [Some people shed tears at the graves of their ancestors and relatives on Qingming Day, while others cry at the graves of their beloved pets. Not only do people have graves, but pets also have graves. People visit the graves of their pets in much the same way as they visit their ancestors, with photos, white chrysanthemums, favorite toys, and concrete and marble monuments built just like people do. In addition to physical cemeteries, online pet cemeteries and memorial blogs are also popular. Like online cemeteries that honor loved ones, pet cemeteries allow for wine and flower offerings and are easy to apply for, with most requiring only the names of the pet and the owner to be entered.

Editing the origin of the festival

The Qingming Festival is an important traditional festival in China's folklore, and is one of the eight important festivals: the Shangyuan, Qingming, Lixia, Duanwu, Zhongyuan, Mid-Autumn, Winter Solstice and New Year's Eve. Generally in the Chinese traditional festivals introduction chart

April 5 of the Gregorian calendar, but its festival period is long, there are ten days before eight days after and ten days before ten days after two kinds of statements, which nearly twenty days are within the Qingming Festival. The origin of the Qingming Festival, according to legend, began in ancient times, emperors and generals "tomb sacrifice" of the ceremony, and then the folk also follow suit, in this day of ancestor sweeping the tomb, and has been inherited through the generations and become a fixed custom of the Chinese nation. Originally, the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival are two different festivals, to the Tang Dynasty, will be the day to worship and sweep the tomb as the Cold Food Festival. The name "Qingming Festival" also comes from the Qingming Festival in the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar. The 105th day after the winter solstice is the Qingming Festival. The Qingming Festival **** has 15 days. The time of Qingming as a festival is after the vernal equinox. At this time, winter has gone, spring is full of flavor, the weather is clear, the four fields are clear, and nature shows vitality everywhere. The term "Ching Ming" is an appropriate term to describe this period. [2] One hundred and five days after the winter solstice is called the Cold Food, which is also known as the "Cold Festival" and the "Smoke-Free Festival" because it was once forbidden to have fire and cold food on this day. Folklore has it that the Cold Food Festival is to commemorate the Spring and Autumn Period when Jie Zi Tui was burned in Mianshan by fire, and the Duke of Jin ordered a ban on fire. Jie Zi push is Shanxi people, so the cold food custom in Shanxi first popular. In the old days, cold food fire break, the next day in the palace there are drilling wood to take new fire ceremony, folk also more to willow each other to beg for new fire.

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In ancient China, before the Qingming Festival, there was another important festival connected with Qingming - the Cold Food Festival. Cold Food is celebrated on the 105th day after the winter solstice, and Cold Food*** is celebrated for three days, after which it is Qingming, so the Qingming Festival is exactly on the 108th day after the winter solstice. In modern times, the Cold Food Festival has basically been merged into the Qingming Festival, but there are still differences between the two, and there is also a legend about the Cold Food Festival. According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, the consort of the Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji, plotted to kill the crown prince, Shen Sheng, in order for her son, Xi Qi, to succeed the throne, and Shen Sheng was forced to commit suicide. Shen Sheng's younger brother, Chong Er, went into exile to avoid the disaster. While in exile, Chong Er suffered a lot of humiliation. Most of the ministers who followed him went their own way one after another. There were only a few loyal men left who followed him all the way. One of them was called Jie Zi Tui (介子推). Once, Chong Er passed out from hunger. In order to save Chong Er, Jie Zi Pui cut off a piece of meat from his own leg, cooked it over a fire and gave it to Chong Er to eat. Nineteen years later, Chong Er returned to his country and became the ruler, Duke Wen of Jin, one of the famous Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period. When Duke Wen of Jin came to power, he rewarded his subjects who had suffered with him, but he forgot about Jie Zi Tui. Some people complained for Jie Zi Tui in front of Duke Wen of Jin. Duke Wen of Jin suddenly remembered the old story, the heart of shame, and immediately sent to ask mesoteric push on the court to be rewarded by the official. However, after several trips, Jie Zi Tui did not come. Duke Wen of Jin had to go in person to invite. However, when Duke Wen came to Jie Zi Tui's house, he saw that the door was closed. Jie Zi Tui didn't want to see him, and had already carried his mother to hide in Mianshan Mountain (southeast of present-day Jiexiu County, Shanxi Province). The Duke of Jin then sent his imperial army up to Mianshan to search for him, but they did not find him. So, someone came up with an idea, saying that it would be better to set fire to the mountain, lighting fires on three sides and leaving one side behind, so that when the fire started, Jie Zi Tui would come out on his own. Duke Wen of Jin ordered the fire to burn the mountain, but the fire burned for three days and three nights, after the fire was extinguished, did not see Kai Zi push out. Up the mountain to see, jiezi push mother and son holding a big charred willow tree has died. Duke Wen of Jin looked at the body of the mesquite push to cry and worship for a while, and then buried the remains, found the mesquite push the spine blocked a willow tree hole, the hole seems to have something. He took out a look, but it turned out to be a piece of lapel, on which was inscribed a poem in blood: "Cutting flesh to serve the king's danxin heart, but I hope that the lord is always clear. I will never see you as a ghost under the willow, but it is better to accompany the king as a counselor. If you have me in your heart, you will always think about yourself when you remember me. I am not ashamed in the nine springs, and I am diligent and clear";[3] and Duke Wen of Jin hid the bloody letter in his sleeve. Then he buried Jie Zi Tui and his mother separately under the big burnt willow tree. To commemorate Jie Zi Tui, Duke Wen of Jin ordered to change Mian Shan to "Jie Shan", built a shrine on the mountain, and designated the day he set fire to the mountain as the Cold Food Festival, telling the whole country to abstain from fireworks and to eat only cold food on this day every year. When he left, he cut a piece of burnt willow wood and made a pair of wooden clogs in the palace, looking at them every day and sighing, "Woe is the foot." "It is said to be the origin of the ancient term of respect from subordinates to superiors or from peers to peers. The next year, the Duke of Jin led his ministers to pay homage on foot to the grave in plain clothes to express their condolences. When they arrived at the grave, they saw the old willow tree come back to life, with thousands of green branches dancing in the wind. Duke Wen of Jin looked at the resurrected old willow tree and saw it as if he had seen Jie Zi Tui. He went to it respectfully, pinched a branch and wove a circle on his head. After the cleaning, Duke Wen of Jin gave the name of the resurrected old willow tree as "Qingming Festival Willow", and designated this day as Qingming Festival. Afterwards, Duke Wen of Jin often put the book of blood on his side, as a motto to spur himself to rule. He was diligent Qingming Festival, inspiring the state to govern well. After that, the people of Jin were able to live and work in peace and contentment, and they missed Jie Zi Tui very much. On the day of his death, people banned fireworks to commemorate him. Also with flour and jujube clay, kneaded into the swallow, with willow string up, inserted in the door, to summon his soul, this thing is called "of the push Yan" (jiezitui also known as jiezhitui). Since then, the Cold Food and Qingming Festival has become a grand festival for people all over the country. Whenever the cold food, people do not make fire to cook, only eat cold food.

Edit this section of the festival customs

The customs of the Qingming Festival are rich and interesting, in addition to the fire ban, sweeping the tomb, there are a series of customary sports activities, such as trekking, swinging, kicking Cuju, playing polo, willow and so on. Legend has it that Qingming Festival tomb sweeping

This is because the cold food festival to cold food ban on fire, in order to prevent cold food cold food injuries, so we come to participate in a number of sports activities, in order to exercise the body. Qingming Festival, folk taboo make needle, taboo laundry, most areas of women avoid walking. Before evening, a gray line should be sprinkled in front of the gate, which is said to stop ghosts from entering the house. Therefore, this festival is characterized by both the sorrowful tears of parting with a new grave and the laughter of trekking and playing.

Swinging

This is an ancient Chinese custom of Qingming Festival. Swinging, meaning migrating by the leather rope. Its history is very old, the earliest called the thousand autumn, and then in order to avoid taboos, changed to swing. In ancient times, the swing was mostly made of boughs and branches for the frame, and then bolted on the colorful belt. Later gradually developed into a swing with two ropes and pedals. Swinging can not only improve health, but also cultivate the spirit of bravery, and is still loved by people, especially children.

Cuju

Cuju is a kind of leather ball, made of leather and stuffed with wool. Cuju is to kick the ball with the foot. It is a favorite game in ancient times during the Qingming Festival. It is said to have been invented by the Yellow Emperor, and its original purpose was to train warriors. Playing polo is also one of the plays of Dragon Boat Festival. Polo, is riding on a horse, holding a stick to play ball, the ancient name for bowing. Cao Zhi of the Three Kingdoms has a line in his book "The Name of the City", which reads, "The land is full of bows and bows". Chang'an in the Tang dynasty, there is a wide field, Emperor Xuanzong, Jingzong and other emperors like polo. Zhanghuai Prince's tomb in the "polo map", painted the Tang dynasty polo flourished: painting, more than 20 horses galloped, horse tail tied up, the ball player head turban, foot boots, holding the ball staff by the ball hit each other. Analyzing the Jin Zhi records that Liao played polo as a traditional custom of the festival, in the Dragon Boat Festival and the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. Jin Shi - Rites of the record also recorded Jin people in the Dragon Boat Festival. Song dynasty "playing ball music" dance team. To the Ming Dynasty, polo is still popular. Continuing the literature general ko - music ko" recorded that Ming chengzu had several times to the east garden batting, shooting willow. Ming dynasty "xuanzong walking map" scroll painted in xuanzong appreciate the scene of polo. Wang Zhi, an official at that time, wrote a poem about watching the ball on the Dragon Boat Festival: "Jade Le Thousand Gold Horses, Carved Seven Treasure Balls. The bridle flew in surprise at the lightning, and the ball felt the stars flowing. The Yan page has become three successes, and the first chip has been passed on with great joy. Celebration of clouds with the feet of escape, dazzled by the east end of the temple." Beijing Baiyunguan also has a mass of horseback riding in front of the batting ceremony. Qing Dynasty Temple of Heaven area also has polo sports, until after the middle of the Qing Dynasty, polo disappeared. In recent years, the city of Xi'an has seen the emergence of antique polo, so that this ancient sport in the extinction of many years after the reappearance of the Chinese land.

Trekking

Also called spring tour. In ancient times, it was called exploring spring, searching for spring. Qingming in April, spring back to the earth, the natural world everywhere presents a vibrant scene, it is a great time for excursions. China's folk long maintained the Qingming trekking habit.

Tree planting

Tree planting on Qingming Day

Before and after Qingming, the spring sun shines, the spring rain sprinkles, planting saplings with a high survival rate, fast growth. Therefore, since ancient times, China has the Qingming tree planting habit. Some people also call the Qingming Festival "Tree Planting Day". Tree-planting custom has been handed down to the present day. 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress stipulated that every year on March 12 for China's Tree Planting Day. This is to mobilize the people of all nationalities to actively carry out activities to green the motherland, has a very important significance.

Flying kites

Flying kites is also a favorite activity during the Qingming Festival. Every Qingming Festival, people not only fly during the day, but also at night. At night, a string of small colorful lanterns are hung under the kite or on the wind steady pulling line, like twinkling stars, which are called "divine lanterns". In the past, some people put the kite on the blue sky, then cut the line, let the wind send them to the end of the world, it is said that this can get rid of diseases and bring good luck to themselves.

Tomb-sweeping

Tomb-sweeping at Ching Ming is said to be "thinking of the time of respect" for ancestors. The custom has a long history. In the Ming Dynasty, "The Scenery of the Imperial Capital", it is written, "On Qingming Day in March, men and women sweep the graves, carrying Pusaetha scandens and hanging kozo ingots on the backs of the palanquins and horses, and they fill the roads with a lot of water. Those who worship, pour libations, cry, and weed the graves, burn kozo and put paper money on the graves. If there is no paper money, the grave will be left alone. Weeping, do not return, tend to the fragrant trees, choose the garden, sit in the list of all drunk." In fact, tomb-sweeping before the Qin Dynasty, but not necessarily on the occasion of Qingming, Qingming tomb-sweeping is after the Qin Dynasty. Only in the Tang Dynasty did it begin to flourish. "Qing Tongli" cloud: "year, cold food and frost festival, worship sweeping Xieng Khouang tombs, the period plain clothes at the tomb, with wine and food and scythes cut grass and trees of the device, Zhou calloused seal tree, cut off the thorns and grasses, it is known as sweeping the tomb." And passed down to this day. Qingming ceremony should be held in person to the graveyard, but due to the economic and other conditions of each family is not the same, so the way of cleaning is also different. The main form of ancestor worship is the "burning of baggage". The so-called "package," also known as "parcel," refers to the parcel that a filial son sends to the "netherworld" from the earthly world. In the past, the so-called "baggage skin" was sold in the southern paper store, i.e. a big pocket made of white paper. There are two forms: one is a woodcut version, printed around the Sanskrit translation of the "mantra", the center of a Lotus seat, used to write on the district number of the deceased's name, such as: "the late Zhang Fujun, the old man of the cloudy mountain," the words, both the mailbag and the seat of the card. Another is a plain wrapping skin, do not print any pattern, the center only stick a blue sticker, write the name of the deceased can be. Also do the main card. There are many kinds of money in the package.

Placing the willow

It is said that the custom of placing the willow is also in honor of Shen Nong, the agricultural ancestor who "teaches the people to gather crops". In some places, people put willow branches under the eaves to forecast the weather, Qingming Festival willow

Proverb "willow green, rainy; willow dry, sunny days," said. When Huang Chao revolted, he stipulated that he would wear a willow for the period of Ching Ming Festival. After the failure of the uprising, the custom of wearing willow was gradually eliminated, and only the willows prevailed. Willow has a strong vitality, as the saying goes: "If you plant a flower, it will not grow; if you do not plant a willow, it will become a shade." Willow inserted into the soil on the living, inserted where, living where, year after year into the willow, everywhere into the shade. Qingming willow wear willow there is a saying: the original Chinese people to Qingming, July half and October for the three major ghost festival, is a hundred ghosts out of the time to ask for. People in order to prevent the ghosts of the persecution, and inserted willow wear willow. Willow in people's minds have the function of warding off evil spirits. Influenced by Buddhism, people believe that the willow can be but ghosts, and called "ghost horror wood", Guanyin to willow branches dipped in water to help beings. Northern Wei JiaSiFu "qimin yaojutsu" said: "take the willow branch on the household, a hundred ghosts do not enter the home." Qingming is a ghost festival, the willow sprouting season, people have naturally inserted willow wear willow to ward off evil spirits. Related Legends

Jie Zi Tui

On the cold food, there is such a legend: Qingming Festival

According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, in order to let his son Xi Qi succeeded to the throne of the Duke of Jin Xian's consort, Lixi Ji, set up poisonous plots to kill the crown prince Shen Sheng, who was forced to commit suicide. Shen Sheng's younger brother, Chong Er, went into exile to escape the disaster. While in exile, Chong Er suffered a lot of humiliation. Most of the ministers who followed him went their own way one after another. There were only a few loyal men left who followed him all the way. One of them was called Jie Zi Tui (介子推). Once, Chong Er passed out from hunger. In order to save Chong Er, Jie Zi Pui cut off a piece of meat from his thigh, cooked it over a fire and gave it to Chong Er to eat. Nineteen years later, Chong Er returned to his country and became the ruler, which was Duke Wen of Jin, one of the famous Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period. After the reign of Duke Wen of Jin, he rewarded all the subjects who had suffered with him, but he forgot about Jie Zi Tui. Some people complained for Jie Zi Tui in front of Duke Wen of Jin. Duke Wen of Jin suddenly remembered the old story, the heart of shame, and immediately sent to ask mesoteric push on the court to be rewarded by the official. However, after several trips, Jie Zi Tui did not come. Duke Wen of Jin had to go in person. However, when Duke Wen came to Jie Zi Tui's house, he saw the door was closed. Jie Zi Tui did not want to see him, and had already carried his mother to hide in Mianshan Mountain (southeast of present-day Jiexiu City, Shanxi Province). The Duke of Jin then had his imperial army go up to Mianshan to search for him, but they didn't find him. So, someone came up with an idea, saying that it would be better to set fire to the mountain, lighting fires on three sides and leaving one side behind, so that when the fire started, Jie Zi Tui would come out on his own. Duke Wen of Jin ordered the fire to burn the mountain, but the fire burned for three days and three nights, after the fire was extinguished, did not see Kai Zi push out. Up the mountain to see, jiezi push mother and son holding a big charred willow tree has died. Duke Wen of Jin looked at the body of the mesquite push to cry and worship for a while, and then buried the remains, found the mesquite push spine blocked a willow tree hole, the hole seems to have something. He took out a piece of his robe and inscribed it with a poem in blood: "I cut off my flesh to serve the king, but I hope that my lord will always be clear. I will never be seen as a ghost under the willow, but I am better than accompanying the king as a counselor. If you have me in your heart, you should always think about yourself when you remember me. I am not ashamed in the nine springs, and I will be diligent and clear in my administration. Duke Wen of Jin hid the bloody letter in his sleeve. Then he buried Jie Zi Tui and his mother under the charred willow tree. To commemorate Jie Zi Tui, Duke Wen of Jin ordered to change Mian Shan to "Jie Shan", built a shrine on the mountain, and designated the day he set fire to the mountain as the Cold Food Festival, telling the whole country that every year on this day, fireworks were forbidden and only cold food was eaten. When he left, he cut a piece of burnt willow wood and made a pair of wooden clogs in the palace, looking at them every day and sighing: "Woe is the foot." "It is said to be the origin of the ancient term of respect from subordinates to superiors or from peers to peers. The next year, the Duke of Jin led his ministers to pay homage on foot to the grave in plain clothes to express their condolences. When they arrived at the grave, they saw the old willow tree come back to life, with thousands of green branches dancing in the wind. Duke Wen of Jin looked at the resurrected old willow tree and saw it as if he had seen Jie Zi Tui. He went to it respectfully, pinched a branch and wove a circle on his head. After the cleaning, Duke Wen of Jin gave the name "Qingming Willow" to the resurrected old willow tree, and designated this day as the Qingming Festival. Afterwards, Duke Wen of Jin often put the bloody book on his side, as a motto to spur himself to rule. He was diligent and clear, and tried his best to govern the country well. After that, the people of Jin were able to live in peace and work happily, and they missed Jie Zi Tui very much. On the day of his death, people banned fireworks to commemorate him. Also with flour and jujube clay, kneaded into the swallow, with willow string up, inserted in the door above, to summon his soul, this thing is called "of the push Yan" (jiezitui also known as jiezhitui). Since then, the cold food and Qingming became the grand festivals of the people all over the country. Whenever cold food is served, people do not make fire to cook and only eat cold food. In the north, the people only eat pre-made cold food such as jujube cake, wheat cake, etc.; in the south, it is mostly green dumplings and glutinous rice candy root. Every Qingming, people weave willow into a circle to wear on the head, the willow branches inserted in front of the house, in order to show remembrance.