The Tomb-Sweeping Festival, or Qingming Festival in Chinese (清明節), is a significant traditional holiday in Taiwan, China, and some other Asian countries. It bears some resemblance to All Souls’ Day in the West. On this day, the primary activity involves visiting cemeteries and cleaning the tombs of ancestors. Additionally, Qingming (清明) in Chinese means “Brightness,” symbolizing the onset of the warm spring season and the commencement of farm work.
Following the lunar calendar, the festival is observed on the first day of the 5th solar term, or 15 days after the Spring Equinox, which in 2024 falls on April 4th. It is an official public holiday in Taiwan, with an additional day off granted to create a long weekend, making it a popular time for Taiwanese to vacation abroad.
Story Behind the Qingming Festival
The Qingming Festival originated from an even more ancient festival called 寒食節 or the Cold Food Festival in English. This festival commemorated Jie Zitui, a Chinese nobleman from the Spring and Autumn Period (771 BC to 476 BC). Jie Zitui was a loyal friend of Duke Wen of Jin. During a time of hardship when food was scarce, Jie Zitui cut off some flesh from his own thigh and cooked it for the Duke to prevent him from starving.
Years later, when Duke Wen ascended to power, he sought to thank Jie Zitui and offer him a governmental position. However, by then, Jie Zitui was leading a humble life with his mother in the forest and declined the Duke’s offer.
In a misguided attempt to compel Jie Zitui out of the forest and into accepting his offer, the Duke ordered the forest to be set on fire. Tragically, both Jie Zitui and his mother perished in the blaze.
Haunted by remorse over the tragedy, the Duke decreed a nationwide ban on the use of fire to commemorate Jie Zitui’s death, leading people to consume cold food, thus giving rise to the festival.
As the festival fell in winter, the prohibition on using fire posed health risks, especially for the elderly. Consequently, it was decided to shift the festival to the first day of the 5th solar term, gradually evolving into the Qingming Festival.
Today, while the festival primarily revolves around tomb sweeping and the memory of Jie Zitui has faded, many people still observe the tradition of consuming cold food.
How People Celebrate Qingming Festival in Taiwan?
Tomb Sweeping
Tomb sweeping is undoubtedly the most significant activity during the festival, hence its common reference as the Tomb-sweeping Festival in English.
People visit their ancestors’ graves to sweep, remove weeds, add fresh soil, plant flowers, burn incense, and offer items such as food, tea, or wine.
Spring Outings
With the weather warming up, especially in Taiwan during the Qingming Festival, people enjoy outdoor activities, often immediately following visits to their ancestors’ graves. It’s common to see people picnicking or flying kites in parks.
Traveling
Though not a traditional celebration, traveling is still highly significant. Given the scarcity of days off in Taiwan, many take advantage of the long weekend around the Qingming holiday to travel to nearby countries like Japan or Thailand.
Is it Ok to Say “Happy Qingming Festival”
As the festival centers around commemorating deceased family members, one might ask whether it is appropriate to say “Happy Qingming Festival.” The answer is yes! As mentioned earlier, the festival also celebrates the coming of the warm spring season, and Qingming itself means “Brightness.” Therefore, it is completely fine to say “Happy Qingming Festival.”
Qingming Poem by Du Mu
There is a very well-known Tang Dynasty poem written by the poet Du Mu (杜牧) that mentions the Qingming Festival. The poem itself is called “Qingming” and is often taught to Taiwanese students, as well as to foreigners who reach an advanced level of Chinese.
The poem refers to someone traveling on a rainy day during the Qingming Festival. In search of a tavern, a passerby shepherd boy shows him the way to Xinghua village.
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 清 明 時 節 雨 紛 紛， | ㄑㄧㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄕˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ ㄩˇ ㄈㄣ ㄈㄣ | qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn | It’s drizzling at the time of the Ching Ming Festival, |
| 路 上 行 人 欲 斷 魂。 | ㄌㄨˋ ㄕㄤˋ ㄒㄧㄥˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄩˋ ㄉㄨㄢˋ ㄏㄨㄣˊ | lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún | Passerbys on the road appear lifeless. |
| 借 問 酒 家 何 處 有， | ㄐㄧㄝˋ ㄨㄣˋ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄏㄜˊ ㄔㄨˇ ㄧㄡˇ | jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu | May I ask, where is the tavern? |
| 牧 童 遙 指 杏桃 花 村。 | ㄇㄨˋ ㄊㄨㄥˊ ㄧㄠˊ ㄓˇ ㄒㄧㄥˋ ㄊㄠˊ ㄏㄨㄚ ㄘㄨㄣ | mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūn | The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village in the distance. |
Celebration in other countries
Outside of Taiwan, the Qingming Festival is celebrated in many countries that have had or currently have Chinese cultural influence.
China
While it’s evident that the festival is celebrated in China, being its place of origin, it’s noteworthy to mention that the Communist Party banned the festival for nearly six decades. This was part of an effort by the Chinese government to eradicate traditional Chinese culture, particularly ancestor worship.
The festival was finally reinstated in 2008, but after 60 years of prohibition, much of its essence has been lost. It could be argued that the festival as practiced in Taiwan today is more authentic than the one experienced in China.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, the festival occurs on the 3rd day of the 3rd month of the lunar calendar. Celebrations closely resemble those in Taiwan.
The festival is often referred to as the Tangyan Festival. Tangyuans, glutinous rice balls filled with mung beans, are eaten and used as offerings during the festivities.
Singapore and Malaysia
While the festival holds no official status in either of these countries, it is taken very seriously by Chinese communities. Since they didn’t undergo the Communist cultural revolutions, some of their practices dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties are still well preserved, whereas they have vanished in China.
Chinese Vocabulary Related to Qingming Festival
| Character | Bopomofo | Pinyin | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 清明節 | ㄑㄧㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ | Qīngmíngjié | Qingming Festival; Tomb Sweeping Day; Pure Brightness Festival |
| 寒食節 | ㄏㄢˊ ㄕˊ ㄐㄧㄝˊ | Hánshíjié | Hanshi Festival; Cold Food Festival |
| 掃墓 | ㄙㄠˇ ㄇㄨˋ | sǎomù | sweep a grave |
| 香 | ㄒㄧㄤ | xiāng | incense |
| 踏青 | ㄊㄚˋ ㄑㄧㄥ | tàqīng | spring outing |
In summary, the Qingming Festival stands as a significant cultural observance across Taiwan, China, and various other Asian nations. Its roots in ancestor veneration and the arrival of spring provide a meaningful backdrop for reflection and remembrance.
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