Qingming Festival
Brief instruction
Qingming Festival, also known as Pure Brightness Festival, is a traditional Chinese Festival, and is one of the 24 segments of the Chinese calendar.
Because Jie Zitui died embracing a willow tree, the willow is believed to have powers against evil.
Spring Outing
During March, everything in nature takes on a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly.
It normally falls in early spring, on the 106th day after the winter solstice. and is a time to pay respects to one’s ancestors and to tidy their gravesite.
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The custom
Tomb Sweeping
The major custom in Qingming Festival is tomb sweeping. People will set out offerings of fresh flowers and paper money to their ancestors.
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To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered that fires could not be lit on the day of Jie Zitui’s death. From this comes Hanshi Day that occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considers part of the Qing Ming festival.

Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zitui, who lived in Shanxi province 600B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord’s life by serving a piece of his own leg. But, finally died in a big fire put by the lord.