Qingming is one of the twenty-four solar terms in the lunar calendar. The traditional Qingming Festival in China began around the Zhou Dynasty and has a history of more than 2,500 years. "Almanac": "On the fifteenth day after the Spring Equinox, when the fighting fingers are ding, it is the Qingming Festival. At that time, everything is clean and clear. At this time, the air is clear and the scenery is bright, and everything is visible, hence the name." Once the Qingming Festival comes, the temperature rises, It is a good time for spring plowing and spring planting, so there is a saying "before and after the Qingming Festival, plant melons and beans." Tomb-Sweeping Day is a festival for worshiping ancestors, mainly involving tomb sweeping. Tomb sweeping is a concrete manifestation of careful pursuit of the past, family harmony and filial piety. Tomb-sweeping Festival falls at the turn of mid-spring and late spring, which is 106 days after the winter solstice. On May 20, 2006, this folk festival was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. In addition, there are many poems about Qingming, among which Du Mu's "Qingming" poem is the most famous.

Introduction to the festival

Qingming Festival, the English standard translation is: Tomb-sweeping Day or Pure Brightness. It is one of the twenty-four solar terms in China. (This holiday is now listed as a national holiday).

The notice pointed out that according to the "Decision of the State Council on Amending the Measures for National Holidays and Memorial Days", there will be a three-day holiday for Qingming Festival. ) Since the twenty-four solar terms more objectively reflect the changes in temperature, rainfall, phenology and other aspects throughout the year, people during the Qingming Festival of Du Mu in ancient times used them to arrange agricultural activities. "Huainanzi Tianwen Xun" says: "Fifteen days after the vernal equinox, when Dou Zhiyi Yi comes, the Qingming wind will arrive." According to "Hundred Questions of the Years": "Everything growing at this time is clean and bright. Therefore, it is called Qingming Festival. "When Qingming Festival comes, the temperature rises and the rainfall increases. It is a good time for spring plowing and spring planting. Therefore, there are farmers' proverbs such as "Before and after Qingming, order melons and plant beans" and "Afforestation is better than Qingming." It can be seen that this solar term is closely related to agricultural production.

However, Qingming, as a festival, is different from a pure solar term. Solar terms are symbols of phenological changes and seasonal sequences in my country, while festivals contain certain customary activities and commemorative significance.

Qingming Festival is a traditional festival in my country and the most important sacrificial festival. It is a day for worshiping ancestors and sweeping tombs. Tomb sweeping, commonly known as visiting graves, is an activity to pay homage to the deceased. Most of the Han people and some ethnic minorities visit tombs during the Qingming Festival.

According to the old custom, when sweeping the tomb, people should bring wine, food, fruit, paper money and other items to the cemetery, offer the food in front of the tomb of their relatives, then burn the paper money, build new soil on the tomb, and fold a few branches. New green branches are planted on the grave, then they kowtow and worship, and finally go home after eating wine and food. The poem "Qingming" written by Du Mu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, said: "It rains heavily during the Qingming Festival, and pedestrians on the road want to die. May I ask where the restaurant is? The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village in the distance." It describes the special atmosphere of the Qingming Festival.

Qingming Festival, also called the Outing Festival, according to the Gregorian calendar, it falls between April 4th and 6th every year. It is the time when the spring scenery is bright and the grass is green, and it is also the time when people go out for spring outings. It is a good time for outing (called outing in ancient times), so the ancients had the custom of outing during Qingming Festival and carrying out a series of sports activities. In ancient times, there was another saying called "March Festival"

To this day, the custom of worshiping ancestors and mourning deceased relatives on Qingming Festival is still very popular. [1]

The Qingming Festival is one of the traditional festivals of the Han people in my country and one of the 24 solar terms in China. It takes place around April 5 of each year in the Gregorian calendar. In ancient times, there was a saying that the day before the Qingming Festival was the "Cold Food Festival". According to legend, it began in the Spring and Autumn Period when Duke Wen of Jin commemorated Jie Zitui's "cutting off his legs to satisfy hunger". Later, the Qingming and Cold Food Festival gradually became one.

It is said that after Dayu controlled the floods, people used the words "Qingming" to celebrate that the floods had been eliminated and the world was at peace. At this time, spring is warm, flowers are blooming, everything is revived, and the sky is clear and the earth is bright. It is a good time for spring outings. Outing began as early as the Tang Dynasty and has become a habit inherited by generations. In addition to appreciating the natural scenery of lakes, mountains and spring scenery, outings also carry out various cultural and recreational activities to add interest to life.

Grave-sweeping is popular during Qingming Festival. In fact, grave-sweeping is part of the Cold Food Festival on the day before Qingming Festival. According to legend, Cold Food originated from Duke Wen of Jin mourning Jie Zitui. In the 20th year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty issued an edict to the world: "Cold food should be served to the tomb". Because cold food coincides with Qingming Festival, it gradually became known as Qingming tomb sweeping.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, tomb sweeping during the Qingming Festival became even more popular. In ancient times, children often flew kites when visiting tombs. Some kites are equipped with bamboo flutes, which can make a sound when blown by the wind, just like the sound of a kite. It is said that this is how the name of the kite comes.

There are many lost customs during the Qingming Festival, such as wearing willows, shooting willows, playing on swings, etc. that have been circulated for a long time in ancient times. According to records, the customs of the Liao Dynasty were the most important during the Qingming Festival, ranging from the imperial court to the common people. Everyone enjoys playing on the swing, ladies gather there, and the trend of outing[2] is also very popular.

The Qingming Festival was very common during the Northern Song Dynasty. Zhang Zeduan's "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" that has been handed down now depicts the two sides of the Bianhe River in Bianliang (Kaifeng), Tokyo during the Qingming Festival during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty. People and scenes.

Since 2008, my country has recognized Tomb-Sweeping Day as a legal holiday, with a day off. By 2009, it was changed to three days. It continues to this day.

Origin of the festival

Tomb-Sweeping Festival is an important traditional folk festival in my country. It is one of eight important festivals: Shangyuan, Qingming, Beginning of Summer, Dragon Boat Festival, Zhongyuan, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice and New Year's Eve. one. Generally, it falls on April 5th in the Gregorian calendar, but its festival period is very long. There are two versions: ten days before and eight days after, and ten days before and ten days after. These nearly 20 days are all Qingming Festival.

The origin of Qingming Festival is said to have begun with the ceremony of "grave sacrifices" for emperors, generals and prime ministers in ancient times. Later, the people also followed suit, worshiping ancestors and sweeping their tombs on this day, which has been followed through the generations and has become a fixed custom of the Chinese nation. . Originally, the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival were two different festivals. In the Tang Dynasty, the day of worshiping and sweeping tombs was designated as the Cold Food Festival. The correct day of the Cold Food Festival is one hundred and five days after the winter solstice, around the time of Tomb Sweeping Day. Since the two days are close, Tomb Sweeping Day and Cold Food Festival are combined into one day.

The custom of worshiping ancestors and sweeping their tombs originated very early in China. As early as the Western Zhou Dynasty, great importance was attached to tombs. During the Warring States Period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, "Mencius Qi Ren Pian" also mentioned a ridiculed Qi man who often went to the Dongguo tomb to beg for food and sacrifices for the tomb. This shows that the custom of tomb sweeping was very popular during the Warring States period. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, an edict was issued to stipulate cold food and tomb sweeping as one of the "Five Rites" at that time. Therefore, whenever the Qingming Festival came, "the fields and roads were full of ladies and gentlemen, servants and beggars, all of whom visited the tombs of their parents." (Liu Zongyuan) "Book with Xu Jingzhao") grave sweeping has become an important social custom.

In the spring when it is still a bit cold, it is forbidden to eat cold food. I am afraid that some old, weak, women and children will not be able to bear the cold, and in order to prevent cold food and cold meals from harming the body, so we plan outings, picnics, and swinging. Swings, playing football, polo, planting willows, tug-of-war, cockfighting and other outdoor activities allow everyone to come out and bask in the sun, stretch their muscles and bones, and increase their resistance. Therefore, in addition to paying homage to ancestors and sweeping their tombs, the Qingming Festival also includes various outdoor fitness activities. This festival, in addition to the sentimental feelings of cautious pursuit of the past, also incorporates the atmosphere of joy and spring appreciation; Fresh and bright vivid scene. It is really a very unique and special festival. Tomb sweeping during the Qingming Festival is a festival related to funeral customs. According to records, in ancient times, there were "tombs without tombs", which meant that only grave pits were dug and no tombs were built, so the memorial sweeps were not recorded in the records. Later, the tombs were added to the tombs, and the custom of offering sacrifices and sweeping came to have support. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, tomb sacrifices had become an indispensable ritual activity.

"Book of Han. Biography of Yan Yannian" records that even if Yan is thousands of miles away from Beijing, he will "return to the East China Sea to sweep the cemetery" during Qingming. Judging from the development and strength of Chinese people's ancestor worship and kinship consciousness, Yan Yannian's actions are reasonable and reasonable. Therefore, later generations also included the tomb sacrifices that were not standardized in ancient times into the Five Rites: "In the homes of scholars and common people, it is appropriate to visit the tomb, and it is included in the Five Rites, which will always be the norm." With official approval, the trend of tomb sacrifices will inevitably flourish. .

Because Qingming is close to Hanshi, and Hanshi is a day when folk people prohibit fire and sweep tombs. Gradually, Hanshi and Qingming merged into one, and Hanshi became both another name for Qingming and another for Qingming. A custom during the Qingming Festival is that there will be no fireworks on the Qingming Festival and only cold food will be eaten. One of the twenty-four solar terms. On April 4th, 5th or 6th every year, it is customary to sweep graves during this period.

Due to the custom of worshiping ancestors, sweeping tombs, and outings on Qingming Day in vast areas of China, it has gradually evolved into a traditional Chinese festival for Chinese people to commemorate their ancestors in the form of sweeping tombs, worshiping, etc., between mid-spring and late spring. It is usually 106 days after the winter solstice and the day after the Cold Food Festival. Tomb-sweeping activities can last for about ten days before and after the festival.

Festivals of various ethnic groups

There are 25 ethnic groups in China celebrating Qingming Festival. Although customs vary from place to place, the basic themes are tomb-sweeping, ancestor worship and outings. Influenced by Han culture, 24 ethnic minorities in China, including the Manchu, Hezhe, Zhuang, Oroqen, Dong, Tujia, Miao, Yao, Li, Shui, Jing and Qiang, also have the custom of Tomb-Sweeping Day.

Festival Customs

The customs of Qingming Festival are rich and interesting. In addition to the ban on fires and sweeping tombs, there are also a series of activities such as outing, swinging, Cuju, playing polo, and planting willows. Custom sports activities. It is said that tomb sweeping during Qingming Festival is because cold food and fire are forbidden during Qingming Festival. In order to prevent cold food and cold meals from harming the body, everyone comes to participate in some sports activities to exercise. Therefore, in this festival, there are not only the sad and sad tears of paying respects to new graves, but also the laughter of outings. It is a unique festival.

Swinging

This is an ancient Chinese Qingming Festival custom. Swing means moving by holding on to the leather rope. It has a very ancient history. It was first called Qianqiu, but later was changed to Swing to avoid taboos. In ancient times, swings were mostly made of tree branches and tied with colorful ribbons. Later, it gradually developed into a swing with two ropes and pedals. Swinging can not only improve health, but also cultivate bravery. It is still loved by people, especially children.

Cuju

Ju is a ball made of leather and stuffed with hair. Cuju means kicking a ball with your feet. This is a game that people loved during the Qingming Festival in ancient times. According to legend, it was invented by the Yellow Emperor, and its original purpose was to train warriors.

Outing

Also called spring outing. In ancient times, it was called Tanchun, Xunchun, etc. On the Qingming Festival in April, spring returns to the earth, and the natural world presents a vibrant scene everywhere. It is a great time for outings. Chinese people have long maintained the habit of going outing during the Qingming Festival.

Planting trees

Before and after the Qingming Festival, when the spring sun shines and the spring rain falls, the saplings planted have a high survival rate and fast growth. Therefore, since ancient times, our country has had the habit of planting trees during the Qingming Festival. Some people also call Qingming Festival "Arbor Day". The custom of planting trees has been passed down to this day. In 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress stipulated that March 12th every year would be my country's Arbor Day. This is of great significance in mobilizing people of all ethnic groups across the country to actively carry out activities to green the motherland.

Kite flying

Kite flying is also a favorite activity during the Qingming Festival. During the Qingming Festival, people not only play during the day but also at night. At night, a string of small colorful lanterns are hung under the kite or on the wind-stabilizing wire, like twinkling stars, and are called "magic lanterns." In the past, some people would cut the strings after flying kites into the blue sky and let the breeze carry them to the ends of the earth. It is said that this can eliminate diseases and disasters and bring good luck to themselves.

Grave-sweeping

Sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival is called "respecting the times" for ancestors. Its custom has a long history. "On the Scenery of the Imperial Capital" of the Ming Dynasty records: "On Qingming Day in the third month, men and women sweep tombs, carry bamboo poles, hang ingots on the backs of sedans and horses, and the streets are full of charm. People worship, pray, cry, and weed and add soil to the tomb. , burn ingots, and place paper money on the grave. If there is no paper money in sight, the grave will be lonely. After crying, you will go to the fragrant tree, sit in the garden, and get drunk. "In fact, tomb-sweeping existed before the Qin Dynasty. , but not necessarily during the Qingming Festival. Tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival was a matter after the Qin Dynasty. It did not become popular until the Tang Dynasty. "Qing Tong Li" says: "On the New Year's Day, during Cold Food and Frost's Descent Festivals, people pay homage to the tomb sweepers. During the period, they go to the tomb in plain clothes, equipped with wine and food and a tool for cutting grass and trees. They seal the trees and cut off the wattle grass, so it is called tomb sweeping." And it has been passed down to this day.

The Qingming Festival sweeping ceremony should be held in person at the tomb site. However, because each family’s economic and other conditions are different, the method of sweeping the memorial ceremony is also different. "Burning baggage" is the main form of paying homage to ancestors. The so-called "baggage", also known as "package", refers to the parcel sent by filial piety from the Yang world to the "underworld". In the past, Nanzhi Store sold the so-called "furoshiki", which was a large bag made of white paper.

There are two forms: one is to use a woodblock board to print the Sanskrit transliteration of the "Rebirth Mantra" around it, and print a rosette tablet in the middle to write the area code and the name of the deceased, such as: "The late Zhang Fujun said: The words "Sir Shan Lao" are both a postal package and a tablet. The other type is plain furoshiki, which does not have any pattern printed on it. It only has a blue label stuck in the middle and the name of the deceased can be written on it. Also used as main card. There are many types of ghost money in the baggage.

Inserting willows

It is said that the custom of inserting willows is also to commemorate the founder of farming, Shennong, who "taught the people how to farm". In some places, people put willow branches under the eaves to predict the weather. There is an ancient proverb about Qingming Festival: "The willow branches are green, and it is rainy; the willow branches are dry, and the sky is sunny." During the Huang Chao Uprising, it was stipulated that "the Qingming Festival will last for a period of time, and Dai Liu will be the number." After the failure of the uprising, the custom of wearing willows was gradually eliminated, and only inserting willows remained popular. Willows have strong vitality. As the saying goes: "If you plant flowers intentionally, they will not bloom, but if you plant willows unintentionally, they will create shade." Willows will live when they are inserted into the soil. Wherever they are inserted, they will live wherever they are inserted. Willows will be inserted year after year, and they will become shade everywhere.

There is another saying about planting willows during the Qingming Festival: It turns out that the Chinese regard Qingming, half July and the first day of October as the three major ghost festivals, when hundreds of ghosts haunt them. In order to prevent the intrusion and persecution of ghosts, people plant willows and wear willows. Willow has the function of warding off evil spirits in people's minds. Influenced by Buddhism, people believe that willow can ward off ghosts, and are called "ghost-terrible trees." Avalokitesvara dips willow branches in water to save all living beings. Jia Sixie of the Northern Wei Dynasty said in "Qi Min Yao Shu": "Putting willow branches on the door will prevent all ghosts from entering the house." Qingming is the Ghost Festival, and when willow branches sprout, people naturally plant willows to ward off evil spirits.

Related legends

There is such a legend about cold food:

It is said that during the Qingming Festival during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Li Ji, the concubine of Duke Xian of Jin, wanted to let her son Xi Qi succeed him. As a result, he set up a poisonous plot to kill the prince Shen Sheng, who was forced to commit suicide. Shen Sheng's younger brother Chong'er fled into exile in order to avoid the disaster. During his exile, Chong'er suffered a lot of humiliation. Most of the ministers who originally ran away with him went their separate ways one after another. There were only a few loyal people left who followed him. One of them is called Jie Zitui. Once, Chong'er fainted from hunger. In order to save Chong'er, Jie Zitui cut a piece of meat from his thigh, roasted it over fire and gave it to Chong'er to eat. Nineteen years later, Chong'er returned to his country and became the king. This was Duke Wen of Jin, one of the famous Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.

After Duke Wen of Jin came to power, he greatly rewarded those ministers who shared the same hardships with him, but he forgot about Jie Zitui. Someone cried out for Jie Zitui in front of Duke Wen of Jin. Duke Wen of Jin suddenly recalled the old events and felt guilty, so he immediately sent someone to invite Jie Zitui to come to court and receive an official title. However, after sending people several times, Jie Zitu could not come. Duke Wen of Jin had no choice but to invite him in person. However, when Duke Wen of Jin came to Jie Zitui's house, he saw that the door was closed. Jie Zitui didn't want to see him, so he hid in Mianshan (today's southeast of Jiexiu City, Shanxi) with his mother on his back. Duke Wen of Jin asked his imperial guards to search Mianshan Mountain, but they couldn't find it. So, someone came up with an idea and said that it would be better to set fire to the mountain, light fires on three sides and leave one side alone. When the fire breaks out, Jie Zitui will come out on his own. Duke Wen of Jin ordered a fire to be set on the mountain. Unexpectedly, the fire burned for three days and three nights. After the fire was extinguished, the meson was not pushed out. When he went up the mountain, he saw that Jie Zitui, mother and son, were already dead holding a large burnt willow tree. Duke Wen of Jin looked at Jie Zitui's body and cried for a while, then buried the body. He found that Jie Zitui's back was blocking a willow tree hole, and there seemed to be something in the hole. I took it out and saw that it was a piece of clothing with a bloody poem written on it:

I will sacrifice my flesh to you, but I hope my master will always be clear.

It is better to act as a ghost under the willow tree and never see it again than to accompany you as a remonstrating minister.

If the Lord has me in your heart, remember me and always reflect on yourself.

I have a clear conscience in Jiuquan, and I work diligently to keep the Qingming and the Qingming.

Jin Wen Gong hid the blood book in his sleeve. Then Jie Zitui and his mother were buried under the big burnt willow tree. In order to commemorate Jie Zitui, Duke Wen of Jin ordered to change Mianshan Mountain to "Jie Mountain", build an ancestral hall on the mountain, and designated the day when the mountain was set on fire as the Cold Food Festival. He told the whole country that fireworks were forbidden and only cold food was eaten on this day every year.

When he left, he cut down a piece of burnt willow wood and made a pair of wooden clogs in the palace. He looked at it every day and sighed: "What a sad step.

""Zhixia" is the ancient people's term for mutual respect between superiors and peers. It is said to come from this.

The next year, Duke Wen of Jin led his ministers to hike up the mountain in plain clothes to pay tribute and express condolences. Walking to the grave, he saw the dead old willow tree resurrected, with thousands of green branches dancing in the wind. Jin Wengong looked at the resurrected old willow tree as if he had seen Jie Zitui. He walked up to it with respect and pinched it lovingly. After the sacrifice, Duke Wen of Jin named the resurrected willow tree "Qingming Willow" and designated this day as Qingming Festival. , Duke Wen of Jin often kept the blood letter on his sleeve as a motto to spur him to govern. He was diligent and honest, worked hard to govern, and governed the country well.

After that, the people of Jin were able to live and work in peace and contentment. Jie Zitui, who did not live up to his merits and was not interested in wealth, missed him very much. On the day of his death, people banned fireworks to commemorate him. They also mixed flour with jujube paste, shaped them into swallows, strung them with willow sticks, and stuck them on the door. , summoning his soul, this thing is called "Zhitui Yan" (Jie Zitui also refers to Jie Zitui). Since then, Cold Food and Qingming have become grand festivals for people all over the country. During Cold Food, people do not make fires to cook, but only eat. Cold food. In the north, people only eat pre-made cold food such as jujube cakes and wheat cakes; in the south, they mostly eat green dumplings and glutinous rice with sugared lotus root. During the Qingming Festival, people tie wickers into circles and wear them on their heads. Put willow branches in front of and behind the house to show your memory

Related poems

Famous Qingming poems

Qingming Festival "Qingming" (Tang Dynasty) Du Mu.

It rains heavily during the Qingming Festival.

Pedestrians on the road are desperate.

May I ask where the restaurant is?

The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village. .

"Cold Food on the Way" (Tang Dynasty) Questions from the Song Dynasty

It's late spring on the way. Unfortunately, there are no people from Luoqiao in the North Pole. Zhuchen. In the heart of my hometown, there are new willows day and night.

"Cold Food" (Tang Dynasty) Han Hong

There are flowers flying everywhere in the spring city, and the east wind blows the willow trees at dusk. The light smoke disperses into the house of the five princes.

"Lu Men Ji Shi" (Tang Dynasty) Zhang Ji

The farmer recruits the Ailou boat, the spring grass is green, and the fields are green; try to go to Wumen. Looking at the county, there are new smokes in several places during the Qingming Festival.

"Qingming" (Song Dynasty) Wang Yu

Spending the Qingming Festival without flowers and wine, the mood is as dull as the wild monks next door. New fire, the dawn window is divided into reading lamps.

"Su Di Qingming Event" (Song Dynasty) Wu Weixin

The pear blossoms are blowing in the wind, and the wanderers are out of the city singing at dusk. Clean it up, thousands of willows belong to the wandering warbler

"Cold Food on the Tomb" (Song Dynasty) Yang Wanli

How can the bridge be spared if the maple leaves are so light? , The house is solitary beside the wheat. The spring breeze is in the grass again, and the pear blossoms have been eaten since the cold weather.

"A Journey to the Countryside" (Song Dynasty) by Cheng Hao

The grass and green fields are wild, spring comes in the distant mountains and green surroundings; the willow alleys are flooded with red flowers, and the flowing water is sitting on the moss rocks; don't drink too much wine, just for fear that the wind will turn the flowers red; it is a good weather during the Qingming Festival , you might as well travel without forgetting to return home.

"Qingming" (Southern Song Dynasty) Gao Zhu

There are many tombs on the mountain tops in the north and south, and the Qingming festivals are different. Paper ashes fly into hundreds of butterflies, and tears and blood turn into red cuckoos. The fox sleeps on the grave at sunset, and returns home at night in front of the laughing lamp of his children. If there is wine in life, you must be drunk. How can a drop of it reach Jiuquan!

"Send off Chen Xiucai and return to the sand to visit the tomb" (Ming Dynasty) Gao Qi

My clothes are full of blood, tears and dust, and it is sad to return home after the chaos. After the wind and rain, the pear blossoms and the cold food, how many graves are there descendants?

"Qingjiang Yin Qingming Day Tour" (Ming Dynasty) Wang Pan

Ask where is the best place to ban smoking in Xilou? Luye Qingtian said. Horses neighed through willows, people leaned on swings and laughed, and Mr. Yinghua fell drunk in spring.

"The Qingming Festival in Chang'an" (Tang Dynasty) Gu Feixiong

When the emperor met the Qingming Festival in the Ming Dynasty, he also chased tourists out of the forbidden city. The fragrant oriole sings in Jiumo, and the rain begins to clear for thousands of cars and horses.

Today is the first time we have visited each other. I feel sad and tired of this life when I look at flowers. Who is the master of the spring scenery in the coming year? It is unbearable to be haggard and even less successful.

"Send a Friend in the Garden on Tomb-Sweeping Day" (Tang Dynasty) Jia Dao

Today is the Qingming Festival, and the garden is a great place to be.

The clear wind blows the catkins, and the new fire creates smoke in the kitchen.

Ducao opens three paths, and the article recalls two wise men. When will I be able to live my life? Before the wine falls and the flowers fall.

" Traveling to Yuli with Friends on Qingming Day" (Tang Dynasty) Laihu

I spent several nights in the spring mountains chasing Lu Lang, and the Qingming Festival was full of smoke. The bow of the boat slips through the fine watercourses as it returns, and the lingering flowers are drunk and the teeth are fragrant.

The wind is strong, the mountains and clouds are drifting across the wild fields, and the rain is leaving the fields and water falling into the square pond. After chanting unbearably, I looked back east, hearing the sound of frogs in my ears as the sun set.

"Luoyang Qingming Day and Rain Ji" (Tang Dynasty) Li Zhengfeng

The dawn will be clear and the tomorrow will be clear, and the night will be rainy. There are still fireworks in thousands of gates, and there is no dust in nine streets.

The wine-green river bridge is spring, and the palace is idle at noon. Tourists fall in love with fragrant grass, but half offend strict city drums.

"The Sky Has Neon Clothes" Qingming Poetry (Contemporary) Liu Xiaofeng (Liu Zhou)

One: The haggard grave is covered with dirt, and it looks like a relative when you see it; after thousands of years of imitation, this thing hurts the most Love

(Note: Bingzi, 1996, the year of Bingzi. Comment: Anyone who has read this poem before visiting the grave of a relative will definitely recall this poem).

Second: Bingzi Qingming: peach blossoms are pink and apricot blossoms are white, and the rain is hitting the branches and trees in bloom; pedestrians are quietly raining down on their faces, and several graves are crying.

(Comment: This The poem begins with a description of the scene, expressing emotions through the scenery. First, it writes about the delicate and beautiful peach and apricot blossoms, then it writes about the wind and rain beating on the flower branches, and then it writes about the raindrops or tears falling quietly from the faces of passers-by. At this time, sad cries suddenly came from several graves not far away. This is a scene of visiting graves during the Qingming Festival full of life. There is a slight sadness in it, which makes people admire the plainness of life. The greatness of endless reproduction with mankind)

Third: Xin Ji Qingming: God is the most ruthless and has no mercy on the filial piety of human beings; for the sake of earning a small fortune, he sheds tears and endures the Qingming rain.

(Note: Xinsi: 2001, the year of Xinsi. Xiaoke: The author is humble. Comment: Reading this poem, it seems that the rain during the Qingming Festival is all made of the tears of a filial son. The rain and tears blend together, and the tears make the rain cold. The pitter patter is falling one after another. Isn’t it the heart of a filial son that is weeping? )

Fourth: When the wind blows my grandmother, it rains, and when the rain hits my grandmother, she sheds tears every year. There are people from Miesui in front of Suisui's grave.

The fifth one: Yin and Yang have no way to communicate with each other, find the way and visit the grave during the Qingming Festival; little tears and paper money turn into nothing, there is little water and wine, and no one is seen.

Sixth: The grass on the side of the road is withering and business is growing, and the little fresh green leaves are withered and yellow. Even though there is no rain, I still shed tears. Grandma’s grave is beside the pile of clouds.

The seventh one: The soil on the tomb is new and old, and the vegetation in front of the tomb is withered and green; the sound and appearance should be here underground, buried in the yellow dust for many springs.

Famous articles on funeral sacrifices

Jiang Chengzi’s dream on the night of the 20th day of the first lunar month of Yi Mao

An appreciation of Su Dongpo’s poems in mourning for his beloved wife

Ten years of life and death The two are boundless, without thinking, and unforgettable. Thousands of miles of lonely tomb, no place to talk about desolation. Even if we meet each other, we should not know each other, our faces are covered with dust and our temples are like frost.

At night, I suddenly returned home with a deep dream, and I was dressing up outside the small window. They looked at each other without words, only a thousand lines of tears. It is expected that the broken part of the intestines will be cut off every year, on a bright moonlit night, there will be short pines.

Climate

Qingming is a solar term that represents phenology, which means sunny weather and lush vegetation. As the saying goes: "The Qingming Festival cuts off the snow, and the Grain Rain cuts off the frost." When the Qingming Festival comes, the climate in South China is warm and spring is in full swing. However, before and after the Qingming Festival, cold air still invades from time to time, even causing the daily average temperature to fall below 12°C for more than three consecutive days, causing rotten middle rice seedlings and dead early rice seedlings. Therefore, rice sowing and planting should avoid the warm tail and cold head. In the northwest plateau, livestock have been affected by the severe winter and insufficient forage, and their resistance is weak. It is necessary to strictly guard against the harm to old, weak and young livestock caused by the strong cooling weather after the beginning of spring. "It rains heavily during the Qingming Festival" is a description of the spring rain in the south of the Yangtze River by Du Mu, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty. But for some areas, this is not the case. In particular, western South China is often in a period of spring drought. The rainfall in early April is generally only 10 to 20 mm, less than half of that in Jiangnan. Although eastern South China has more spring rain, the rainfall in early April is generally only 20 to 40 mm. Natural precipitation It is not enough to meet the needs of agricultural production and must be replenished by water storage in previous years. In addition, May-June is the month with the most hailstorms of the year, so prevention against hail disasters should be strengthened.

During the Qingming Festival, except for the northeastern and northwest regions, the daily average temperature in most parts of China has risen to above 12°C. There is a busy scene of spring plowing from north to south to inside and outside the Great Wall. "During Qingming Festival, wheat grows for three seasons." Wheat in the south of the Huanghuai region is about to boot, rapeseed has bloomed, and wheat in the northeast and northwest has also entered the jointing stage. We should pay close attention to the later fertilizer and water management and disease and insect pest control work. Dry farming in the north and early and mid-season rice in the south of the Yangtze River have entered the suitable season for sowing in large quantities. We must seize the opportunity to sow early and early when the weather is clear. "The wind blows in the pear blossoms during the Qingming Festival". At this time, various fruit trees enter the flowering period. Attention should be paid to artificial assisted pollination to increase the fruit setting rate. The planting of early rice in South China is almost finished, and fertilizing the fields should be carried out in a timely manner. Corn, sorghum, and cotton will also be sown in various places. "Mingqian tea, two buds", the new buds of the tea tree are growing vigorously, so we must pay attention to the prevention and control of diseases and pests; famous tea production areas have been gradually exploited, and they should be strictly and scientifically harvested to ensure yield and quality.

Agriculture

Since the twenty-four solar terms more objectively reflect changes in temperature, rainfall, phenology and other aspects throughout the year, working people in ancient times used them to arrange agricultural activities. "Huainanzi Tianwen Xun" says: "Fifteen days after the vernal equinox, when Dou Zhiyi Yi comes, the Qingming wind will arrive." According to "Hundred Questions of the Years": "Everything growing at this time is clean and bright. Therefore, it is called Qingming Festival. "When Qingming Festival comes, the temperature rises and the rainfall increases. It is a good time for spring plowing and spring planting. Therefore, there are farmers' proverbs such as "Before and after Qingming, order melons and plant beans" and "Afforestation is better than Qingming." It can be seen that this solar term is closely related to agricultural production. However, Qingming, as a festival, is different from a pure solar term. Solar terms are symbols of phenological changes and seasonal sequences in China, while festivals contain certain customary activities and commemorative significance.

Food

In terms of food during the Qingming Festival, various places have different seasonal foods. Due to the relationship between Cold Food Festival and Qingming Festival, some places still retain the custom of eating cold food during Qingming Festival. In Shandong, Jimo eats eggs and cold pastries, while Laiyang, Zhaoyuan, and Changdao eat eggs and cold sorghum rice. It is said that if you don’t do this, you will be hit by hail. Tai'an eats cold pancakes rolled with raw bitter herbs and is said to have bright eyes after eating them. Jinzhong area still retains the custom of banning fire on the day before Qingming Festival.

In this area of ??Wenzhou, it is the custom to eat Miancai cakes. As the name suggests, Miancai cakes are made of Miancai. Some people also call them Qingming cakes. Miancai is translated from Wenzhou dialect. Its original scientific name is It's called sage grass, and it only appears during the Qingming Festival. Making squid cakes is very particular. You must first pick squid from the field (sweeping lettuce is not grown, it will grow on its own every time during the Qingming Festival), then wash it, dry it, and put it in the oven. Put it into a mortar, (the mortar is a tool made of stone, they used to pound rice cakes in the past) and mash it, then add rice flour, (usually eight pounds of white rice flour, two pounds of glutinous rice flour) and then add an appropriate amount of water, it is enough to evenly blend all the miancai into the rice noodles. After pouring, we have to prepare the filling. The filling is also an important process. The most common ones here are fresh bamboo shoots, tofu, Copy the pork and pickles (or shredded radish). Once the stuffing is cold, you can wrap it. After we wrap the squid pancake, we must put a grapefruit leaf underneath it. First, it is to avoid sticking to the pan. Second, it is also the most important thing. Yes, because after adding grapefruit, the squid cake will have a fragrance of grapefruit, which makes it taste much better. After wrapping, put it in a steamer and steam it for 25 minutes.

In many places, after completing the sacrificial ceremony, the sacrificial food is shared. When people in southern Shanxi celebrate the Qingming Festival, they are accustomed to steaming big steamed buns with white flour, sandwiching walnuts, dates, and beans in the middle. The outside is coiled into a dragon shape, and an egg is stuck in the middle of the dragon body, which is called "Zifu". Steam a big "Zi Fu" to symbolize the family's reunion and happiness. When visiting the grave, the total "zifu" is dedicated to the ancestral spirit, and the whole family eats it after sweeping the grave. According to an old custom in Shanghai, the steamed cake balls used in sacrifices are pierced with wickers, dried and stored. On the day of the Beginning of Summer, they are fried and given to children. It is said that after eating them, they will not suffer from summer diseases.

There is a custom of eating Youth League balls during Qingming Festival in Shanghai. The brome grass juice and glutinous rice are pounded together to make the green juice and rice flour blend with each other, and then the fillings such as bean paste and date paste are wrapped in it, and reed leaves are used as the bottom, and it is placed in a steamer.

The steamed green dumplings are bright green in color and fragrant. They are the most distinctive seasonal food during the local Qingming Festival. Some people in Shanghai also like to eat peach blossom porridge during Qingming Festival, and use saury at tomb sweeping and family banquets. In Huzhou, Zhejiang, every family wraps rice dumplings during the Qingming Festival, which can be used as offerings at graves or as dry food for outings. As the saying goes: "The Qingming rice dumplings are firm and firm." Before and after the Qingming Festival, the snails are fat and strong. As the saying goes: "To eat snails during the Qingming Festival, race a goose." Farmers have the habit of eating snails during the Qingming Festival. On this day, they use a needle to pick out the snail meat and cook it, which is called "picking greens." After eating, throw the snail shells on the roof. It is said that the rolling sound on the roof tiles can scare away mice, which is beneficial to silkworm rearing after the Qingming Festival. On Qingming Festival, there will also be a social reception. Families from the same ancestral hall gather together for dinner. For families without ancestral halls, the grandsons from each house of the same great ancestor usually gather together for dinner. The main dishes of Shejiu are fish and meat, the main ingredients are tofu and vegetables, and the main wine is home-made sweet liquor. There is a saying in Heshan Town, Tongxiang, Zhejiang that "Qingming Festival is as big as the New Year". Qingming Festival attaches great importance to family reunion for dinner. The following traditional dishes are indispensable on the dinner table: fried snails, glutinous rice with lotus root, sprouted beans, malan head, etc. These dishes are all related to sericulture. Throw the leftover snail shells into the house. It is said that the sound can scare away mice, and the caterpillars will burrow into the shells to make nests and no longer come out to harass the silkworms. Eating lotus root is a wish for silkworms to spin long and good silk. Eating sprouted beans is a win-win for "getting rich".