Chinese Festivals - The Grave Sweeping Festival

The Grave Sweeping Festival (Qing Ming Jie - 清明节) normally falls on the 5th of April, which is in the the 3rd lunar month on Chinese Calendar. It is a season of new life, as the weather is warm and sunny, flowers are blooming in the gentle breeze. But it is also a season of remembering the deceased.

It was originated from the "cold food day" with a touching story behind it. The story goes as a loyal servant and his master survived a political massacre. During the run away days, the servant suffered everything to assure the master's comfort. Later on, the master became an emperor and wanted to reward the servant, but it was turned down. The servant withdrew himself to the mountains trying to pursue a free life. The emperor got frustrated and order to burn the forest to force the servant out but learned the servant died in the fire by clutching on a big tree. The heart-stricken Emperor named the day (105th day after the Winter Solstice) Cold Food Festival. Every family on that day are not allowed to light a fire for cooking, but to eat cold food instead, such as pre-steamed bun, Chinese date cake, cold noodles etc.

Then Cold Food Festival becomes a day for offering sacrifice to ancestors and pay their respect to the dead. Giving expressions to their grief over the ancestors death by visiting the grave yards has become the focus of the festival.

Other activities such as flying a kite, playing on a swing and cockfighting (forbidden by law now) are also popular during the festival.