Tomb-sweeping Day
By Lu Feiran |
April 3, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
QINGMING Festival, which falls on April 4 or 5, is also regarded the the nation's annual Tomb-Sweeping Day. The tradition, which has been inherited for hundreds of years, actually was adopted from the Cold Food Festival.
On the day people visit the tomb of a deceased relative and clean it, bring cooked food and fruit to the grave, and even burn some paper money.
All these things are done to pay homage to ancestors. To most Chinese people, it is - and always has been - a serious and devout occasion.
Several years ago, Qingming started to take on new meaning as it has become a three-day public holiday. Apart from visiting tombs, people can also visit suburban areas for an outing as it is also the flower blooming season of the year.
But in ancient times women were told not to go out, especially after sunset, during the festival, because women were considered easier to be possessed by ghosts than men.
Sweet green rice balls (qing tuan) are the most popular snack for the festival. Sweetened bean paste is enclosed in wrappers made from glutinous rice. The wrappers are also dyed green in wormwood leaves juice.
The balls were also snacks for cold-food festival originally. As people don't use fire on the festival, the snack was made because it can be eaten without cooking.
On the day people visit the tomb of a deceased relative and clean it, bring cooked food and fruit to the grave, and even burn some paper money.
All these things are done to pay homage to ancestors. To most Chinese people, it is - and always has been - a serious and devout occasion.
Several years ago, Qingming started to take on new meaning as it has become a three-day public holiday. Apart from visiting tombs, people can also visit suburban areas for an outing as it is also the flower blooming season of the year.
But in ancient times women were told not to go out, especially after sunset, during the festival, because women were considered easier to be possessed by ghosts than men.
Sweet green rice balls (qing tuan) are the most popular snack for the festival. Sweetened bean paste is enclosed in wrappers made from glutinous rice. The wrappers are also dyed green in wormwood leaves juice.
The balls were also snacks for cold-food festival originally. As people don't use fire on the festival, the snack was made because it can be eaten without cooking.
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