The Qingming Festival falls on April 4-6 each year. After the festival, the temperature will rise up and rainfall increases. It is the high time for spring plowing and sowing. But the Qingming Festival is not only a seasonal point to guide farm work, it is more a festival of commemoration.
Traditional Customs
This is the most important day of sacrifice. Both the Han and minority ethnic groups at this time offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the deceased. Also, they will not cook on this day and only cold food is served.
On each Qingming Festival, all cemeteries are crowded with people who came to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. After slightly sweeping the tombs, people offer food, flowers and favorites of the dead, then burn incenseand paper money and bow before the memorial tablet.
People love to fly kites during the Qingming Festival. At night, A string of little lanterns tied onto the kite or the thread look like shining stars, and therefore, are called god's lanterns. The Qingming Festival is also a time to plant trees.
(Note: Some words are selected from Hujiang English and some pictures from internet.)
