Qingming Festival began in the Zhou Dynasty and has a history of more than 2500 years. Qingming was only the name of a solar term at first. It became a festival to commemorate ancestors, which is related to the cold food festival. Therefore, Duke Wen of Jin designated the day after the cold food festival as Qingming Festival.
Qingming was originally just the name of a solar term. It became a festival to commemorate ancestors, which was related to the cold food festival. Therefore, Duke Wen of Jin designated the day after the cold food festival as Qingming Festival.
The name of "Qingming Festival" comes from the Qingming solar term in the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar. The Qingming solar term has a total of 15 days. As a solar term, Qingming is after the spring equinox. Therefore, Qingming Festival is also called outing Festival. At the turn of mid spring and late spring, it is not only a traditional Chinese festival, but also one of the most important sacrificial festivals. It is a day for ancestor worship and tomb sweeping.
On Tomb Sweeping Day, according to the old custom, when sweeping tombs, people should bring wine, food, fruits, paper money and other items to the cemetery, sacrifice food in front of their loved ones' tombs, burn the paper money, cultivate new soil for the tomb, fold a few fresh green branches and them on the grave, then kowtow and worship, and finally eat wine and food home.