Pure Brightness Festival and Tomb Sweeping Day in Chinese Cultures

The Qingming Festival has arrived! This period, also known as the Pure Brightness or Tomb Sweeping Day
Festival in China is celebrated in early April each year by Chinese families.  While the Qingming Festival has a close relationship with agriculture, it is not only a seasonal symbol; it is also a day of paying respect to the dead, a spring outing, and other activities such as flying kites and sky lanterns.

According to folklore, it is said that the Qingming Festival was originally held to commemorate a loyal man named Jie Zitui. Jie cut his own leg in order to save his hungry lord who was forced to go into exile. The lord came back to his royal position nineteen years later, and felt ashamed and decided to reward Jie. However, Jie had blocked himself up in a mountain with his mother. In order to find Jie, the lord ordered that the mountain be set on fire, which resulted in the death of Jie and his mother. In order to commemorate Jie, the lord ordered that the day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival - the day that only cold food could be eaten.

The second year, when the lord went to the mountain to remember Jie, he found willow trees revived, so he gave instructions that the day after Hanshi Festival was to be Qingming Festival. The two festivals have now been combined into one.  Qingming Festival is a time of many different activities and represents a combination of sadness and happiness.

Tomb sweeping is regarded as the most important ritual in the Qingming Festival. 

• Cleaning the tomb and paying respect to the dead with offerings are the two important parts of remembering the past relatives. 
• Weeds around the tomb are cleared away and fresh soil is added to show care of the dead. 
• The dead person's favorite food and wine, along with paper money are given as a sacrifice. These are burned with the hope that the deceased are not lacking food and money. 

Not only is it a day for commemorating the dead, is it also a time for people to enjoy themselves outdoors due to the arrival of Spring. Spring outings not only add joy to life but also promote a healthy body and mind.

• Kite flying is an activity favored by many people during the Qingming Festival.
• Little lanterns are tied to the kite so that when the kite is flying in the night sky, the lanterns appear like twinkling stars.
• People cut the string while the kite is in the sky to let it fly free. It is said this brings good luck and that illness can be eliminated by doing this.
• Some other lost customs like wearing willow branches on the head and riding on swings have added infinite joy in past days.

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