The origin of the Qingming Festival outing

The origin of outing during Qingming Festival

Outing is also called spring outing. In ancient times, it was called exploring spring, seeking spring, etc. Qingming Festival ancestor worship activities are often carried out in the countryside. People combine ancestor worship and tomb sweeping with outings, which not only commemorates their ancestors, but also keeps the body and mind healthy. Therefore, outing has become one of the customs of Qingming Festival. So what is the origin of the Qingming Festival outing? Let’s find out together!

The origin of the Qingming Festival outing 1

During the Qingming Festival, spring returns to the earth, and nature presents a vibrant scene everywhere. , it is a great time for outing. Chinese people have long maintained the habit of going outing during the Qingming Festival.

The Qingming Festival usually falls around the third month of the lunar calendar, which is the time when spring returns to the earth. After a long and cold winter, people have come out of their homes and come outdoors to explore the breath of spring - either outing in the fields or relaxing in the countryside. These outings are called "outings." Outing, also called spring outing. In ancient times, it was called Tanchun, Xunchun, etc.

Legend has it that the Qingming Festival outing existed a long time ago. According to the "Old Book of Tang Dynasty": "In February of the second year of the Dali calendar, I was lucky enough to have an outing in Kunming Lake." It can be seen that the custom of outings has long been popular. Du Fu's poem "Let's go for an outing by the river and look back to see the flag." In the Song Dynasty, outing became popular. The genre painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by the famous Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan vividly depicts the lively scene of the Qingming Festival centered on the Bianhe River outside Bianjing.

Since spring arrives at different times across the country, the outing festivals also come first and later. The second day of the second lunar month is the Outing Festival in Fujian, and the third day of March is the Outing Festival in Shaanxi. Since spring comes very late in Beijing and Northeast China, outings don’t start until the fifth day of May. Since outing is a meaningful custom, it has been passed down from generation to generation.

The legend of Qingming Festival

It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Li Ji, the concubine of Duke Xian of Jin Dynasty, set up a poisonous plot to kill Prince Shen Sheng in order to let her son Xi Qi succeed to the throne. Shen Sheng 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 Jin Wen Gong 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 cut my flesh to serve the king with my loyalty, I hope the master will always be clear.

It is better to be a ghost under a willow tree than to accompany you as a remonstrator.

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 Wengong hid the piece of clothing in his sleeves. 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 section 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." The mutual respect between the two people is said to come from this.

The next year, Duke Wen of Jin led his ministers in plain clothes and hiked up the mountain to pay homage and express condolences. When I walked to the grave, I saw that the dead old willow tree had come back to life, with thousands of green branches fluttering in the wind. Duke Wen of Jin looked at the resurrected old willow tree as if he had seen Jie Zitui. He walked up to it respectfully, pinched the branch lovingly, made a circle and put it on his head. After the memorial ceremony, Duke Wen of Jin named the resurrected old willow tree "Qingming Willow" and designated this day as Qingming Festival. The origin of the Qingming Festival outing 2

The Qingming Festival falls in March, which is a good time for outings. Our country's folk have long maintained the custom of outing during the Qingming Festival. According to historical records of the Song Dynasty: "Ten days before and after the Qingming Festival, the city's sergeants and women, beautifully decorated and decorated with gold and green leaves, joined hands one after another to enjoy the scenery, painting boats, flutes and drums, all day long." People brought food to the countryside and immersed themselves in nature. .

The style of outing was very popular in the Song Dynasty. The famous painter Zhang Zeduan's genre painting "Along the River During Qingming Festival" vividly depicts the lively scene of people in Kyoto going out for a hike during the Qingming Festival in the Song Dynasty.

Outing entertainment is a custom of outings in the city during the Qingming Festival. During the Qingming Festival, spring is warm and flowers are blooming, which is the most suitable time for outings. This is the objective reason for the formation of the custom of outing. Qingming is also the day to sweep tombs in the suburbs, so the custom of sweeping tombs and outings is formed. Liu Dong and Yu Yizheng of the Ming Dynasty said in "A Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital": When the Qingming Festival comes, "it is a day to sign willows, visit the Gaoliang Bridge, and go out for a walk. Many guests from all over the world have not returned, so they go out to commemorate the day." The Qingming Festival in the Ming Dynasty Outings, some are tomb-sweeping and then spring outing.

In the Song Dynasty, large-scale entertainment activities were formed around tomb sweeping and outing. When Meng Yuan of the Song Dynasty recorded the Qingming entertainment in Bianjing in his "Tokyo Menghua Lu", he said: "The surrounding fields are like a market. Often under the fragrant trees or among the gardens, cups and plates are arranged to encourage each other. The singing and dancing girls in the capital are everywhere. The garden pavilions were filled with people returning home at dusk, bringing with them jujube bags, cooking cakes, yellow rice cakes, dropped knives, famous flowers and fruits, mountain pavilion drama utensils, and duck eggs and chicken chow. This was called the "earth ritual outside the door" by Wu Zimu in the Song Dynasty. "Meng Liang Lu" records the customs of the Qingming Festival in Lin'an and says: "Those who feast in the suburbs will go to famous gardens and fragrant fields with exotic flowers and trees; those who feast in the lake will have colorful boats and colorful boats, and they will be driven everywhere. Have fun. On this day, there are dragon boats to see, and people, rich and poor, come out to play and sing loudly, although the Jinming Pond in Tokyo may not be so good." "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painted by Zhang Zeduan of the Song Dynasty depicts Bian in the Song Dynasty. The scenery on both sides of the Jing-Bian River and the scenes of people having fun during the Qingming Festival. There are as many as 550 people in the picture, more than 50 livestock, more than 20 boats, more than 20 cars and sedans, people coming and going, bustling, and all walks of life gathered in the tourist market, which fully reflects the Qingming Day outing entertainment situation.

The earliest source of the Qingming Festival outing should be the ancient custom of spring outing. "The Analects of Confucius: Advanced" records a conversation between Confucius and his disciples Zi Lu, Zeng Xi, Ran You, and Gong Xihua about their ambitions. When Confucius asked about Zeng Xi's ambition, Zeng Xi replied: "In late spring, the spring clothes are ready, five or six crown princes, six or seven boys, bathing in Yi, dancing in the wind, chanting and returning." Zeng Xi's words, It shows that the ancient people have long had the desire and custom of outdoor bathing and outing in spring and March. The later Qingming Festival outings should be said to have originated in ancient times and inherited the ancient tradition of eliminating evil spirits. When it comes to outing, people will naturally think of Tang Cuihu's Qingming Day trip to Chengnanzhuang. Cui Hu went to the south of the city on a spring outing during the Qingming Festival. He was thirsty and got a glass of water from a village girl. The next year during the Qingming Festival, Cui Hu came to Chengnan Village again, but the woman died because of missing Cui Hu. So Cui Hu wrote the poem "Traveling to the South of the City": "On this day last year, in this gate, the peach blossoms on the human face reflected each other's red. The human face is only now. No matter where you go, the peach blossoms will still smile in the spring breeze. "It's an interesting story.

The Qingming Festival is the time when the earth is in spring. Therefore, although this festival began with offering sacrifices to ancestors, in the long-term development it also incorporated recreational content. "Tokyo Menghualu" records that on Qingming Day, urbanites go out to the suburbs, and the fields are like the city. People play in the fields and gardens, and return at dusk. This kind of outing activity was later called "outing", which included curling up in winter and going out in spring to stretch one's skills and invigorate one's spirit: Juan Si. At the same time, in ancient times, activities such as planting willows and trees were gathered during the Qingming Festival. As for the saying that wearing willows during the Qingming Festival will avoid (breaking) the poison, it reflects that this festival also contains the imprint of the content of driving away disasters. As a comprehensive festival, it also adds competitive entertainment content. Nowadays, people tend to regard Qingming Festival as the best season for traveling.

Qingming is one of the twenty-four solar terms, and it is also a festival for worshiping ancestors, so it is commonly known as the Ghost Festival. According to legend, Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty wanted to commemorate his former general Xiao Wangzhi, so he "envoyed sacrifices to his tomb". It was not until the Sui and Tang Dynasties that the Tomb Sweeping Day memorial ceremony became a common practice and an official document. According to the "Old Book of Tang Dynasty", in the 20th year of Kaiyuan (AD 732), there was an edict saying: "The ritual of divination of tombs with cold food has no scriptures. It has been followed in modern times, and it is completed by sleeping." According to the custom, it is customary for officials and common people to go to the tomb and prepare five rituals. ""Tokyo Menghua Lu" says: "On Qingming Day, officials and common people all go out to the suburbs to pay homage to the tomb." The origin of outing during Qingming Festival 3

Outing is also called spring outing, spring exploration, etc. The custom of outing in our country has a long history. It is said that it was formed as far back as the pre-Qin Dynasty, and it is also said that it began in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. According to the "Book of Jin" records: Every spring, people go to the countryside together to enjoy the spring scenery, which was especially popular in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Du Fu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, once recorded the grand scene of the royal spring outing, "On March 3rd, the sky and the earth are new, and there are many beautiful people by the water in Chang'an." Over thousands of years, outing has gradually become a ritual, as if it is the only way to perform this ritual. , only then can we truly have spring. "If you don't play in spring, you may be a fool." Bai Juyi's poem "Spring Outing" is a portrayal of this state of mind.

Although the outing is in the spring of the year, the specific time varies from day to day. Feng Yingjing of the Ming Dynasty, Fei Zhu of the Yuan Dynasty, and Li Nao of the Tang Dynasty respectively specified in their articles that the outing season was the eighth day of the first lunar month, the second day of February, and the third day of March. In fact, the season that people most identify with is also called the "Outing Festival", which is the Qingming time when spring flowers bloom. During this season, they travel in groups to pay homage to their ancestors and feel the breath of spring. Swinging, flying kites, tug-of-war, cockfighting, wearing willows, fighting grass, playing ball, etc. in the countryside, my mood was so free that I didn't want to turn back, and happiness gradually overflowed from my face to my heart. And poets and poets even wrote poems about it, with beautiful lines and chapters everywhere.

For example, "Spring grass grows every year, and we go out for two or three months" (Meng Haoran's "Dike Trip"), "When we go for an outing in the southern half of spring, the wind is gentle and we hear horses neighing" (Ouyang Xiu's "Ruan Lang Gui·Outing"), "Surabaya looks fragrant on a sunny day" The most elegant one is undoubtedly the "Qu Shui Shui Shang" that took place in Shaoxing, Zhejiang more than 1,600 years ago. During this outing, not only 37 wines were produced, but The poems of Fu gave birth to "the best running script in the world - Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Lanting Collection"."

Since I was a child, the spring fields have had a special attraction for me. When I grew up, I went to college in Jiangnan. This place was much more beautiful than the plains in my hometown, with green mountains and green waters everywhere, just like in a painting. I am most looking forward to the arrival of spring, because when spring arrives, the school always organizes outings in the outer suburbs. One year we went down the river. Along the way, the river was mighty and the green mountains in the distance were faint. Arriving at Tianmen Mountain, abandoning the boat and landing, you will see endless yellow rapeseed flowers. The breeze blows, the fragrance of flowers bursts, and the flower tide surges. While chanting Li Bai's "Looking at Tianmen Mountain", we ran wildly in the sea of ??flowers. It was as if our hearts had grown wings and soared into the fairyland... How many years later, that scene and picture are still fixed in our memory.

Outing is a kind of relaxation in a busy life, which can best evoke the return of childlike innocence. In winter, the space for activities is small and cramped, and the mind is like a tightly wrapped cocoon, making it difficult to stretch out. When spring returns to the earth and everything revives, you can "steal half a day's leisure", put aside all the mundane duties, take your whole family or a few friends, and go to the countryside to look for the scent of spring. Integrate into nature, look at the blue sky and white clouds, smell the fragrance of cauliflower, listen to the whispering of swallows, bathe in the spring light, wander on the country roads, pick a willow leaf, put it on your lips, and blow an ode to joy; when you are happy, you might as well take off your shoes, Step barefoot on the soil and roar to the sky a few times; when you are tired, roll around and lie down on the spot. Being so unrestrained and wandering around in the eight extremes allows the body to learn the old and absorb the new, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but also broadens one's mind.

From a physiological point of view, outing is most beneficial to human health. In spring, Yang Qi rises. The air in the woods, fields, rivers, and lakes is fresh and full of negative oxygen ions. Regular breathing can benefit the heart and lungs, boost the spirit, eliminate fatigue, prevent spring sleepiness, and regulate nerves.

Go for an outing. People can go out all year round, but not every season. On the outing, you will definitely feel that the ancient outing poem "picking up the green grass and forgetting to return home at dusk" is really well written. The origin of outing on Qingming Festival 4

The origin of outing on Qingming Festival Why outing on Qingming Festival

Outing is also called spring outing, exploring spring and seeking spring. In the spring when the flowers and plants turn green, they go hiking in the countryside together and play various games, Cuju, swinging, flying kites and other activities. The custom of outing in China has a long history. It is said that it was formed as early as the pre-Qin Dynasty, and it is also said that it began in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. According to the "Book of Jin" records: Every spring, people go to the countryside together to enjoy the spring scenery, which was especially popular in the Tang and Song Dynasties. According to the "Old Book of Tang Dynasty": "At Renwu in February of the second year of the Dali calendar, I was lucky enough to have an outing in Kunming Lake." It can be seen that the custom of outings has long been popular. In the Song Dynasty, outing became popular. The genre painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by the Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan vividly depicts the lively scene of the Qingming Festival centered on the Bianhe River outside Bianjing. In this scroll, there are more than 550 people, more than 50 livestock, more than 20 boats, and more than 20 cars and sedans. The grand occasion of the Qingming Festival outing can be seen. Du Fu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, once recorded the grand scene of the royal spring outing, "On March 3rd, the world is new, and there are many beautiful people by the water in Chang'an." Over thousands of years, outing has gradually become a ritual. "There is no recreation in spring, but I'm afraid I'm a fool." Bai Juyi's poem "Spring Outing" is a reflection of this state of mind.

Precautions for outing during the Qingming Festival

1. Observe the weather in advance

When it is found that there is water seepage in the wall cracks, the weather is abnormally hot, and the humidity is significantly increased, this situation indicates There will be heavy rain in two or three days, so avoid going out.

2. Act according to your ability

Spring outings are best in the suburbs, with a journey of no more than two days at most. Going on a long spring outing is tiring both physically and mentally, which is not good for your health and reduces your interest. In addition, you must supplement various nutrients and do not forget to leave, causing excessive fatigue. If symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, sweating, dizziness, etc. occur, you should rest as soon as possible and do not force it.

3. Dress appropriately

The weather in spring is changeable, from warm to cold, so bring enough clothes to prevent colds. Shoes should be lightweight, heelless, non-slip and highly elastic sports shoes of appropriate size to avoid affecting blood circulation, to prevent toe crushing and numbness and discomfort on the soles of the feet. Also be prepared to wear windproof goggles and sunglasses.

4. Pay attention to diet and health care

When outing, physical exertion is greater, and the body requires more energy and various nutrients. Therefore, diet during outing is the focus of health care. .

5. Pay attention to the choice of venue

Spring outings should be in fields, lakeside, parks, forest areas, mountainous areas and other places to absorb more "air vitamins" - negative ions, which can It has the function of strengthening the brain, dispelling fatigue and invigorating the spirit.

6. Prevent insect bites

Spring is the breeding season for various insects. If you are accidentally bitten by an insect, you must not scratch it, but immediately apply wind oil or Dermatitis and other glucocorticoid preparations should be treated with cold compresses after being stung by pine caterpillars, spiders, bees, scorpions, etc.

7. Prevent accidents

When outing in spring, you should try to avoid steep paths and do not climb mountain and forest stone walls alone. At the same time, anyone suffering from cardiovascular disease should carry commonly used first aid medicines with them.

8. Prevent pollen allergy

In spring, when flowers bloom, you should pay attention to prevent pollen allergy. First of all, you must find out the source of your allergy. It is best to go to the hospital for an examination to find out your allergen. If you have not undergone thorough desensitization treatment, you should try to avoid places with flowers in the chosen spring outing location. Before traveling, you can take anti-allergic drugs such as chlorpheniramine or amphetamine orally in advance. When doing outdoor activities, do not touch flowers or grass at close range, do not sleep on the grass, and do not use your lips, nose and face to come into direct contact with flowers or leaves to avoid allergic reactions. occur.

9. Wash your feet with hot water

During outings, the muscles of your feet are constantly contracting, which can easily cause local muscle soreness. Washing your feet with hot water can dilate the capillaries and promote blood circulation in the feet. It can also restore the secretion of sebaceous glands and the heat dissipation function of the pores to normal.

10. Always pay attention to sun protection

In the cloudless weather in spring, ultraviolet rays are strong. The ultraviolet rays in spring are not as gentle as we think. They will sneak into the directly exposed skin of the human body. If your facial skin becomes red and hot due to the sun, do not wash your face with cold water. You should let your skin rest for a while before washing it with warm water. In addition, in spring, the skin is prone to dehydration, the lips, hands and feet are prone to chapped openings, the face is prone to wrinkles, and even dizziness may occur. Apply sunscreen in time, but do not wear makeup, as you are prone to sweating during travel, which can easily lead to folliculitis or cosmetic infection. The origin of the Qingming Festival outing 5

Qingming Festival, also known as the Outing Festival, Tomb Sweeping Festival and Smart Day, is a traditional festival in my country. In traditional customs, every March or April, people pay most attention to the Qingming Festival. The Qingming Festival falls every year in early March of the lunar calendar, around April 5th of the Gregorian calendar. It is a traditional Chinese festival that commemorates the past. Every Qingming Festival, there are many customary activities, including tomb sweeping, outing, willow planting, etc.

The word "Qingming" is explained in ancient books: "Everything is now clean and clear"; other books also have "Tongs begin to bloom, rainbows begin to appear, and pings begin to grow", "Qingming wind begins" Living in the southeast, the main wind blows all things." The Qingming Festival symbolizes the Yellow River Basin in my country. The cold winter withered trees has passed, and the sunny spring has arrived. At this time, the harsh winter when everything is sleeping has passed, and spring has arrived when everything is renewed. There are clear and bright scenes of bright spring and budding vegetation everywhere. Working people arrange their crops according to the solar terms. Among the twenty-four solar terms, there is a saying that "you are busy planting wheat during the Qingming Festival, and you are busy planting fields during the Grain Rain".

From the perspective of the Chinese calendar, Qingming originally refers to one of the twenty-four solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar and is a sign of climate change. The twenty-four solar terms are the calculation method of seasonal changes and climate changes in the lunar calendar. my country's earliest solar calendar and "Guoli·Chunguan" clearly describe the most basic constants of the astronomical calendar that "winter and summer correspond to the sun, and spring and autumn correspond to the moon, so as to distinguish the four seasons." After the agricultural society, working people discovered that the day, month, and year constitute the three elements of the calendar. The 24 solar terms were basically formed during the Qin and Han Dynasties more than 2,000 years ago. The 24 solar terms combine the knowledge of astronomy and meteorology, and compose the song "Spring rain shocks the spring and clears the valley, the summer is full of awns and the summer heat is connected. The dew in autumn is cold and frost falls, and there is snow in winter and a small cold in winter." Among them, Qingming is ranked fifth among the songs. It is also the fifth solar term in the lunar calendar. At this time, the weather gets warmer, the earth returns to spring, everything revives, and everything is full of vitality. It is written in "Hundred Questions of the Years": "Everything grows clean and bright at this time, so it is called Qingming." When Qingming comes, the temperature rises and the rainfall increases, which 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. Therefore, Qingming was originally a farming festival, and there was no custom of tomb-sweeping. The custom of tomb-sweeping was formed and related to the Cold Food Festival. Cold Food Festival, also known as Cooked Food Festival, No-Smoking Festival, and Cold Festival. Its date is one hundred and five days before the winter solstice, which is only one or two days before Qingming. The main custom of this festival is the ban on fire. No fire is allowed for cooking. You can only eat prepared cooked food and cold food, hence the name. The Cold Food Festival commemorates Jie Zitui, a wise minister of Duke Wen of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, civil strife broke out in the Jin court. Li Ji, the half-brother and stepmother of Prince Chong'er of Jin, wanted to get rid of him and seize his throne. In order to escape their persecution, the Jin prince Chong'er went into exile, along with his loyal minister Jie Zitui and others.

One day, they were lost in the mountains and had no food or support. Jie Zitui then cut off the meat from his thigh and cooked it into soup to quench Chong'er's hunger. Chong'er was very moved.

Nineteen years later, Chong'er returned to Jin and became the king of the country, known as Duke Wen of Jin in history. At that time, in order to commend the ministers for their assistance, he rewarded them based on their merits, but he forgot about Jie Zitui. Jie Zitui was a man of noble character. He did not ask for credit or reward. Instead, he quietly returned to his hometown, took his mother and lived in seclusion in Mianshan. Duke Wen of Jin felt regretful and sent someone to ask Jiezi to push out of the mountain. Jie Zitui refused. Later, Duke Wen of Jin wanted to burn the mountain to force Jie Zitui to come out and receive the reward, but he accidentally burned Jie Zitui and his mother to death.

Jin Wengong was very sad. To express his condolences, he ordered the two men to be buried under a big willow tree and renamed Mianshan "Jieshan".

At the same time, it is stipulated that on this day every year, it is forbidden to light fires and only eat cold food to commemorate Jie Zitui. This is the "Cold Food Festival".

At that time, people brought food to the tomb of Jie Zitui to sweep the tomb and offer sacrifices to commemorate him, so the Cold Food Festival was formed to sweep the tomb. Cold Food Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Festival were originally two festivals. Because the dates were similar, in the Tang Dynasty, the two festivals were combined into one. As a result, the custom of sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival emerged.

In fact, the real origin of the Cold Food Festival stems from the ancient practice of drilling wood and seeking new fires. The ancients used different trees to make fires due to different seasons, and had the custom of changing fires according to the seasons. And every time you change the fire, you have to get a new fire. People are prohibited from lighting fires until new fires arrive. This was a big deal at the time. "Zhou Li·Qiu Guan·Si Xuanshi" says: "In the middle spring, fire was banned in the country with a wooden duo." It can be seen that at that time, he was walking on the street shaking his wooden sword and ordered a ban on fire. This Si Xuan clan is a small official who specializes in making fire. During the ban on fire, people prepared some cold food for consumption, which gradually became a fixed custom. Later, it was connected with the legend of Jie Zitui and became the Cold Food Festival, which lasted for a month. After all, this is not good for health. Later, the date was shortened and gradually changed from seven days to three days to one day. After the Tang Dynasty, it was integrated into the Qingming Festival.

There is another saying about tomb-sweeping during Qingming Festival. According to legend, at the end of the Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty, and Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, fought for several rounds and finally conquered the world. When he returned to his hometown gloriously, he wanted to go to his parents' graves to worship, but due to years of war, the graves were covered with weeds, and the tombstones were tilted here and there, some were broken, and some were cracked, making them unrecognizable. The words on the monument.

Liu Bang was very sad. Although his subordinates helped him look through all the tombstones, they still could not find his parents' graves until dusk. Finally, Liu Bang took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, tore it into many small pieces with his hands, held it tightly in his hand, and then prayed to God: "My father and mother have spirits in heaven. The wind is blowing so hard now, I will Throw these small pieces of paper into the air. If the piece of paper falls in a place where the wind cannot blow it, it will be the grave of your parents." After that, Liu Bang threw the piece of paper into the air, and sure enough, a piece of paper landed on a tomb. No matter how much the wind blew, it couldn't move. Liu Bang ran over and took a closer look at the blurred tombstone, and sure enough he saw his parents' names engraved on it.

Liu Bang was so happy that he immediately asked someone to renovate his parents' tombs. From then on, he would visit his parents' tombs every year during Qingming Festival. Later, like Liu Bang, the common people went to the tombs of their ancestors to worship every year during the Qingming Festival, and pressed a few pieces of paper on the tombs with small clods of soil, indicating that the tombs were cleaned by someone.

According to ancient records, the ritual activity of tomb sweeping has already appeared in the Qin and Han Dynasties. At that time, the tomb-sweeping ceremony was very solemn, including placing offerings, decorating the tomb, burning incense and paper, and even planting pines and cypresses on the tomb to express condolences. On the day of tomb-sweeping, except for the elders, every family goes out of the city to sweep the tomb. Even the shepherd boys drove the cattle down the mountain for fear of hindering others from visiting the graves. People in foreign lands will also visit their hometowns to pay homage to their ancestors.

Tomb-sweeping is also called tomb-sacrifice, sacrifice-sweeping, and grave-visiting. Tomb sweeping during the Qingming Festival is because the Waking of Insects and the Spring Equinox have passed, the ice and snow have melted, and vegetation has sprouted. People think about the tombs of their ancestors, whether foxes and rabbits have burrowed through them, and whether they will collapse due to the arrival of the rainy season. Therefore, they go to the tombs to On the one hand, we clear the weeds, trim the branches, and add a few shovels of soil to the grave; on the other hand, we prepare some sacrifices, burn some paper money, hang some notes on the branches, and hold a simple sweeping ceremony to show our respect for the deceased. Miss you. Since tomb-sweeping is a concrete manifestation of being careful about the past, maintaining family ties, and practicing filial piety, based on the above significance, Tomb-Sweeping Day has become an important festival for the Chinese.

Grave sweeping activities are usually held 10 days before or 10 days after Qingming Festival. Some locals' tomb-sweeping activities last for a month. The ancestor worship activities of the Chinese nation are often carried out in the countryside. People combine tomb sweeping with outings to cultivate their sentiments and promote physical and mental health.

In ancient times, there was a custom of outing on February and March 3rd. "On February 2nd, the river went up, and the east wind blew the sheng." "On March 3rd, the weather was new, and there were many beauties by the water in Chang'an." They describe the grand outing scene of the Tang Dynasty people. In ancient times, on this day, people would gather with relatives and friends, support the elderly and the young, take advantage of the beautiful spring weather to go for an outing in the countryside, and then sit around for a picnic and return at dusk.

When people sweep tombs or return home from an outing, they are willing to pick a few wild flowers and wear them on their heads, and break a few willow sticks and insert them in front of and behind their houses. It is said that this custom is to commemorate the founder of farmers, Shennong, who "taught the people how to farm". Later, it gradually developed into a wish to commemorate and hope for a long life. The custom of wearing willows has been eliminated, but inserting willows has become popular, and it has become the Arbor Day for our people's spring afforestation.

Many traditional and colorful cultural and sports activities are popular around the Qingming Festival, such as tug-of-war, swinging, kite flying, polo playing, cockfighting and other activities. The customs of Qingming Festival are rich and colorful, and the records of past dynasties are very numerous. The poet's works in the Qingming Dynasty are even more spectacular and unforgettable. The Jia family attaches great importance to the Qingming activities in "A Dream of Red Mansions" and regards gathering herbs, flying kites, and swinging as an important part of the activities, which fully reflects the important position of Qingming activities in folk customs. In these senses, Qingming is both a solar term and a traditional festival. It’s an opportunity to express your condolences.

To this day, commemorating the revolutionary martyrs at the martyrs’ cemetery has added a lot of content to the Qingming Festival. Young people from all over the country come in groups to pay tribute to the martyrs’ cemetery, or invite the revolutionary ancestors to give reports and talk about revolution. Stories, or organizing visits, trips, visiting scenic spots, and collecting specimens enrich the content of the festival. In addition, while worshiping the two ancestors of Yan and Huang, we also mourn our ancestors and remember the great achievements of the martyrs, which is of great significance in today's Qingming activities.

Reminiscing about loved ones and expressing condolences are originally things full of warmth. However, when burning incense on the streets and burning money beside graves caused fires that affected the appearance of the city, Qingming has become no longer Qingming. What’s more, villas, Mercedes-Benz, Xiaomi and even Viagra have also become sacrificial items, making Qingming Festival almost a farce.

At the same time, new non-polluting and non-hazardous sacrificial methods such as online sacrifices, home sacrifices, tree burials, and sea burials are also gradually becoming popular. Civilization has become a trend. When the lifestyle has improved, it is time to abandon the bad habits that once followed us and make Qingming truly Qingming. The origin of outing during the Qingming Festival 6

The custom of planting willows during the Qingming Festival has a long history. According to folklore, it became popular in the Sui Dynasty. This statement is reasonable. Because in the Sui Dynasty, the canal had just connected from north to south, and the river embankments needed to be planted with trees every year to consolidate them.

And willows have strong vitality, are easy to survive, and like to be moist. As the saying goes, "If you plant flowers intentionally, they will not blossom, but if you plant willows unintentionally, they will form shade." In addition, Qingming is also a suitable season for tree planting, so the custom of planting willows is From then on it gradually became a custom and continues to this day.

Regarding the planting of willows during the Qingming Festival, there is a legend related to Liu Yong, a great poet in the Song Dynasty. It is said that Liu Yong lived a dissolute life and often traveled among Huajie and Liuxiang. The geishas at that time all loved Liu Yong's talents and were proud of being favored by Liu Yong.

However, because of his bad life, Liu Yong was not tolerated by his official career throughout his life. Although he was a Jinshi, he died in poverty in Xiangyang. The cost of his burial was raised by the singing girls who admired him. Every year during the Qingming Festival, singing girls would go to his grave and plant willow branches as a mark of commemoration. Over time, this became the custom of planting willow branches during the Qingming Festival. Origin of Qingming Festival Outing 7

Qingming Festival is one of the twenty-four solar terms of the lunar calendar. It occurs at the turn of mid-spring and late spring, that is, the 108th day after the winter solstice. The solar terms are based on the lunar calendar, which does not have leap years. The traditional Qingming Festival of the Chinese Han people 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 that "before and after the Qingming Festival, plant melons and beans." Qingming Festival is a traditional festival to worship ancestors, and the traditional activity is tomb sweeping.

The Cold Food Festival, also known as the Hot Food Festival, No Smoking Festival, and Cold Festival, is 108 days away from the winter solstice, which is only one or two days away from the Qingming Festival. The main custom of this festival is the prohibition of smoking. Fire, no fire is allowed for cooking, only prepared hot food and cold food can be eaten, hence the name.

The origin of the Qingming Festival is said to have begun with the ritual of "tomb sacrifice" 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 by generations and has become a fixed custom of the Chinese nation. .

The name "Qingming Festival" also comes from the Qingming solar term among the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar. The 106th day after the winter solstice is the Qingming Festival. The Qingming solar term lasts for 15 days. As a solar term, Qingming takes place after the Spring Equinox. At this time, winter has gone, spring is full, the weather is clear, the fields are clear, and nature is full of vitality. "Qingming" is the most appropriate word to call this period.

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