The origin of the Qingming Festival and the legend briefly (a)
According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, the consort of Duke Xian of Jin, Li Ji, in order to let her son Xi Qi succeeded the throne, set up poisonous plots to kill the Prince Shen Sheng, who was forced to commit suicide. Shen Sheng's younger brother, Chong Er, went into exile in order 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 of Jin, one of the famous Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.
When Duke Wen of Jin came to power, he rewarded those 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 didn't want to see him, and had already carried his mother to hide in Mian Mountain. Duke Wen of Jin then sent his imperial army up to Mianshan to search for him, but they did not find him. So, someone had an idea 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 by himself. 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 meson pushed to cry and worship for a while, and then buried the remains, found meson pushed the 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:
Cutting out his flesh to serve his lord and wishing that his lord would always be clear.
It is better to be a ghost under the willow than to be an advisor to the king.
If you have me in your heart, you will always think of yourself when you remember me.
If I am not ashamed of myself in the nine springs, I will be diligent and clear in my administration.
Duke Wen of Jin hid the bloody book in his sleeve. Then he buried Jie Zi Tui and his mother under the charred willow tree. To honor Jie Zi Tui, Duke Wen of Jin ordered that Mian Shan be changed to "Jie Shan", built a shrine on the mountain, and designated the day the mountain was set on fire as the Cold Food Festival, telling the whole country to abstain from fireworks and to eat only cold food on that day every year.
When he left, he cut down a section 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." "This is said to have been the origin of the ancient term of respect used by subordinates for their superiors or peers.
The next year, the Duke of Jin led a group of ministers on a hike in plain clothes to pay homage and express their condolences. When he arrived at the grave, he 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 ceremony, the Duke of Jin gave the name "Qingming Willow" to the resurrected old willow tree, and designated this day as the Qingming Festival.
Afterward, Duke Wen of Jin often put the bloody book on his side, as a motto to spur his own ruling. He was diligent and clear, and he managed the country well.
Since then, the people of Jin have been able to live and work in peace and contentment, and they miss Jie Zi Tui very much. On the day of his death, people banned fireworks to commemorate him. Also with flour and jujube paste, 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.