Qingming Festival
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011This weekend marks the Qingming (Pure Brightness) Festival. Also called the Tomb Sweeping Festival, Qingming is one of the most important festivals in China with a history of over 2,000 years. During the Qingming Festival people visit the graves of their ancestors or beloved ones to clean them and leave offerings such as food and flowers to those who have passed. People will not cook on this day and only cold food is served.
To learn more about the Qingming Festival visit the China.org.cn China Wiki article Qingming Festival and see the China Daily Photos: Qingming Festival.
For some insights into how the festival is celebrated see the China Daily articles Martyrs remembered ahead of Qingming, Painting on eggs for Qingming Festival, Mountains and parks prepare for Qingming and Virtual memorial, and the Shenzhen Daily articles Celebrating a traditional day and Pak Tai Temple, Xixiang.