Every weekday I go to Chinese class but today I went to the park. I wasn't "sculling" school. Class was canceled due to it being a major Chinese holiday. It's Tomb Sweepers Day a.k.a Qing Ming Jie (清明节). Let me 给你们介绍介绍清明节。
清明节had its origins around 600 BCE and was originally started to honor both the return of the Spring season and the dead ancestors of the Chinese people. In ancient times, people celebrated Qing Ming Jie with dancing, singing, picnics, and kite flying.
In addition, colored boiled eggs would be broken to symbolize the opening of life. Sound familiar?
The following information is taken from http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/festival/qingming/qingming.html:
"With the passing of time, this celebration of life became a day to the honor past ancestors. Following folk religion, the Chinese believed that the spirits of deceased ancestors looked after the family. Sacrifices of food and spirit money could keep them happy, and the family would prosper through good harvests and more children.
Today, Chinese visit their family graves to tend to any underbrush that has grown. Weeds are pulled, and dirt swept away, and the family will set out offerings of food and spirit money. Unlike the sacrifices at a family's home altar, the offerings at the tomb usually consist of dry, bland food. One theory is that since any number of ghosts rome [sic] around a grave area, the less appealing food will be consumed by the ancestors, and not be plundered by strangers."
I spoke to a Chinese 朋友 to get his views on the festival. He told me that after 春节 （Spring Festival) this is the most important festival to the Chinese people. I asked him why he thought it was so important. His answer was that Chinese people love and dearly miss their dead ancestors and this day makes them feel a little bit better about their death. It helps them keep the hope of maybe seeing their dead loved ones again alive in their hearts.
People here maybe more than many others have a yearning...
2 comments:
Hello beautiful, how are you doing? Wow, I can't believe that they have made 清明节 a national holiday (not that I don't have respect for my ancestors)...anyhow, happy 清明节 (it feels absolutely strange to say that)...just came back from my 10-day trip to the South (3 days in Miami and a week in Houston/Austin)...missed the warm weather!
Sally, I sent you an e-mail. Glad you enjoyed your trip. I kind of miss Miami. :-)
Post a Comment