The Cold Clothes Festival originated in the Zhou Dynasty, and it was the earliest sacrificial activity set up by the Zhou Emperor to commemorate the ancestors and the undead. Every year, on the first day of the tenth lunar month, the Emperor of Zhou will hold a grand sacrificial ceremony and present cold clothes to his ancestors and the dead to express his nostalgia for them. This ritual activity gradually spread to the people and became one of the important sacrificial festivals in ancient China.
Another important source of Cold Clothes Festival is Taoist belief. Taoism believes that people's souls can't die after death, and they need to be sacrificed and supported by future generations. Therefore, Taoism regards the early October of the lunar calendar as the "Ghost Festival" every year, and requires believers to offer cold clothes to the dead to help them spend the cold winter. This belief is widely spread among the people, making the Cold Clothes Festival gradually become a folk custom.
Traditional customs of Cold Clothes Festival:
1, Sacrifice to ancestors: The Cold Clothes Festival is an important moment to worship ancestors. People will go to their graves and offer incense sticks, flowers and food to show their respect and yearning for their ancestors.
2. Burning paper money: People will make paper money into various forms, such as clothes, gold and silver treasures, and then burn it in the cemetery or in front of their own homes to send warmth and wealth to their ancestors.
3. Grave-sweeping: Cold Clothes Festival is also a grave-sweeping day. People will clean up weeds around the cemetery, arrange tombstones and keep the cemetery clean and solemn.
4, hanging red leaves: people will hang red leaves at home or cemetery, meaning praying for peace and good luck.
5, eat cold food: Cold clothing festival is a part of the cold food festival, people will eat some cold food, such as cold noodles, cold wonton, etc., to commemorate the ancient loyal minister Jiezitui.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Cold Clothes Festival