What is the origin of Ching Ming Festival?

Qingming Festival is the fifth solar term in the 24 solar terms of the lunar calendar. It is also known as the four major ancestor worship festivals of Chinese traditional festivals. It is the only holiday in Taiwan, Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and other places according to the lunar solar terms. In Macao, there is the Winter Solstice. Next, let's take a look at the origin of Ching Ming Festival.

What is the origin of Ching Ming Festival?

It is said that the origin of Ching Ming Festival began with the ceremony of "tomb sacrifice" between emperors and generals in ancient times, which was later followed by the folk. On this day, offering sacrifices to ancestors and sweeping graves became a fixed custom of the Chinese nation. Originally, the Cold Food Festival and Ching Ming Festival are two different festivals. In the Tang Dynasty, the day of worship and tomb sweeping was designated as the Cold Food Festival. The correct day of the Cold Food Festival is 105 days after the Winter Solstice, about before and after the Qingming Festival. Because the two days are similar, Qingming Festival and Cold Food are merged into one day.

When was Ching Ming Festival?

April 4th or 5th or 6th of the Gregorian calendar. Ching Ming Festival's time is at the turn of mid-spring and late spring, that is, the 108th day after the Winter Solstice. Qingming Festival was only the name of solar terms at first, and its turn into a festival commemorating ancestors was related to the Cold Food Festival. The Duke of Jin Wen designated the day after the Cold Food Festival as Ching Ming Festival. In most parts of Shanxi Province, the Cold Food Festival was celebrated the day before Ching Ming Festival. Yushe County and other places celebrated the Cold Food Festival two days before Ching Ming Festival. Yuanqu County also paid attention to the cold food festival the day before Ching Ming Festival and small cold food the day before. In 1935, the government of the Republic of China designated April 5 as a national holiday, Ching Ming Festival, also known as the National Tomb sweeping Day.

The Origin and Legend of Ching Ming Festival

Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn period, Prince Chong'er of the Jin Dynasty went into exile to escape persecution. On his way into exile, he was too tired and hungry to stand up in an uninhabited place. After searching for a long time, the entourage could not find anything to eat. when everyone was very anxious, the entourage pushed Jiezi to a secluded place, cut a piece of meat from his thigh, cooked a bowl of broth for the Childe to drink, and Chong'er gradually regained his spirits. When Chong'er found that the meat was cut off by Jie Zi's own leg, he burst into tears.

Nineteen years later, Chong'er became king, that is, the historical Duke of Jin Wen. After ascending the throne, Duke Wen rewarded the heroes who accompanied him in exile, but forgot Jie Zitui. Many people complain about Jie Zi Tui and advise him to admire him face to face, but Jie Zi Tui most despises those who strive for merit. He packed up and quietly went to Mianshan to live in seclusion.

When the Duke of Jin Wen heard this, he was so ashamed that he personally took someone to invite Jie Zitui, but Jie Zitui had left home and went to Mianshan. Mianshan mountain high road danger, dense trees, it is not easy to find two people, someone offered advice, burning Mianshan from three sides, forcing Jie Zitui. The fire burned all over Mianshan, but there was no sign of Jie Zitui. After the fire went out, people found that he had died sitting under an old willow tree carrying his old mother's Jie Zitui. Seeing this, Lord Wen of the Jin Dynasty wailed. When he was encoffined, a blood book was found in the hole in the tree, which read: "cut the flesh and serve the king with all his heart. I hope the master will always be clear." In memory of Jie Zitui, the Duke of Jin Wen ordered that this day be designated as the Cold Food Festival.

In the following year, the Duke of Wen of the Jin Dynasty led his ministers to climb the mountain for a memorial ceremony and found that the old willow was dead and resurrected. He gave the old willow a "Qingming willow" and told the world that the day after the cold food festival would be Ching Ming Festival.