Historical Background
The Qingming Festival, also known as the Ching Ming Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, Chinese Memorial Day, Ancestors' Day, the Clear Brightness Festival, or the Pure Brightness Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday dedicated to the commemoration and veneration of ancestors. This festival is observed by ethnic Chinese communities worldwide, including those in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as by the Chitty people and Ryukyuans.
The Qingming Festival falls on the first day of the fifth solar term of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, known as Qingming. This solar term begins around the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, usually between April 4 and April 6 each year; in 2023, the festival was observed on April 5.
During the Qingming Festival, Chinese families visit the graves of their ancestors to perform rituals such as cleaning the gravesites, making offerings of food, and burning joss sticks and joss paper. These practices reflect the deep-rooted tradition of ancestor worship and reverence in Chinese culture, symbolizing respect and remembrance for the deceased.
The origins of the Qingming Festival can be traced back over 2500 years, evolving significantly over time. The festival originally stemmed from the Cold Food or Hanshi Festival, which commemorated Jie Zitui, a nobleman from the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. Jie Zitui followed his master, Prince Chong'er, into exile and demonstrated remarkable loyalty and self-sacrifice, even reputedly cutting flesh from his thigh to provide soup for his lord. When Chong'er became Duke Wen of Jin, he overlooked Jie Zitui in his rewards, leading Jie to retire with his mother to a forest. In an attempt to find them, Duke Wen set the forest on fire, inadvertently causing their deaths. To honor Jie Zitui, the duke decreed that no fires should be lit on the anniversary of Jie's death, giving rise to the Cold Food Festival, which lasted up to a month.
The present-day observance of Qingming as a major festival is attributed to Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. In 732 AD, Emperor Xuanzong sought to curb the excessive and ostentatious ceremonies held by wealthy citizens in honor of their ancestors. He mandated that such ceremonies could be formally conducted only once a year, on Qingming, thus establishing the festival's significance.
Qingming became a public holiday in mainland China in 2008. The festival is marked by specific foods associated with the season, such as qingtuan (green dumplings made of glutinous rice and Chinese mugwort or barley grass) in mainland China and caozaiguo or shuchuguo (confections made with Jersey cudweed) in Taiwan. In Taiwan, the festival was also observed on April 5 to honor the death of Chiang Kai-shek, although this practice has waned. In the Ryukyu Islands, a similar festival known as Shīmī is observed, highlighting the shared cultural heritage and traditions of ancestor worship across different regions influenced by Chinese culture.
Themes and Symbols in the Qingming Festival
This festival, observed primarily by ethnic Chinese and other East Asian communities, revolves around themes of remembrance, filial piety, and the renewal of life.
Remembrance and Ancestral Worship: At the heart of the Qingming Festival is the tradition of visiting ancestral tombs to sweep them, an act that symbolizes respect and remembrance. This practice has been integral to Chinese culture for thousands of years, legislated by emperors who built majestic tombs for their dynasties. The act of tomb-sweeping is a reflection of Confucian values, emphasizing filial piety and the duty of descendants to honor their ancestors.
Rituals and Offerings: During Qingming, families engage in various rituals to honor their deceased relatives. These include burning joss sticks and joss paper, offering food, and praying either to a higher deity or directly to the ancestral spirits. The burning of joss paper, often in the form of money and paper replicas of material goods, symbolizes providing for ancestors in the afterlife, ensuring they have what they need.
Symbols of Purity and Protection: Religious symbols of ritual purity, such as pomegranate and willow branches, are prevalent during the festival. Willow branches, in particular, are believed to ward off misfortune. Some people wear willow twigs on their heads or place willow branches on their homes, drawing parallels to the use of palm leaves in Christian Palm Sunday rituals.
Community and Family Activities: The festival is not only a time for solemn remembrance but also for family and community bonding. After the tomb-sweeping activities, families often engage in outings, picnics, and recreational activities like kite flying, which symbolizes sending messages to the heavens. Historically, Qingming was also a time for young couples to meet and for various forms of entertainment, including singing, dancing, and even cockfighting.
Historical and National Significance: Qingming is also a time to honor national and legendary heroes. For instance, significant events such as the April Fifth Movement and the Tiananmen Incident are associated with this festival. The commemoration of leaders like Premier Zhou Enlai during Qingming exemplifies the festival's role in national memory.
Agricultural Significance: For farmers, the continued observance of Qingming rites is believed to ensure fruitful harvests by appeasing ancestral spirits. This connection between the festival and agricultural prosperity underscores the importance of the festival in rural communities.
Buddhist Influence: In Buddhism, Qingming is a day when the dead can eat in the afterlife, provided they have been absolved of guilt. This belief highlights the spiritual dimensions of the festival, emphasizing the need for ritual purity and the alleviation of ancestral suffering.
Tea Culture: Qingming also holds significance in Chinese tea culture. Green teas harvested before this date are highly prized, known as 'pre-Qingming tea,' and are valued for their superior quality.
Quingming in Art
In art, the Qingming Festival has been immortalized in various mediums, notably in the renowned Song dynasty painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival, often attributed to Zhang Zeduan. While the scroll captures the bustling scenes of Kaifeng city during the Song Dynasty, it does not explicitly depict the activities associated with the holiday itself. However, its intricate details and vibrant depictions of daily life offer a window into the cultural and social landscape of the era. Additionally, Qingming has left its mark in literature, with celebrated works such as Du Mu's poem evoking the atmosphere of the festival through vivid imagery. In Vietnamese literature, the Qingming Festival, referred to as Thanh Minh, is poetically described in The Tale of Kieu, capturing the essence of the season and the traditions observed during this auspicious time.
A small section of Along the River During the Qingming Festival, © Zhang Zeduan via Wikipedia
In this nearly thousand-year-old masterpiece, Along the River During the Qingming Festival, attributed to Zhang Zeduan, bustling medieval Chinese urban life unfolds with astonishing detail and precision. Measuring over seventeen feet, the handscroll portrays a vibrant city—possibly Kaifeng, the Northern Song dynasty capital—teeming with activity. From markets and watchtowers to boats and bridges, Zhang captures the essence of prosperity and harmony during the period. With over eight hundred humans, numerous animals, and intricate cityscapes, the painting provides a rich tapestry of daily life. The Rainbow Bridge, a wooden structure resembling a rainbow, becomes the focal point, depicting a moment of commotion as a ship approaches with its mast lowered. Scholars suggest the possibility that the scene represents the Qingming Festival, a time of ancestral veneration and cultural significance. Executed with the ruled-line painting technique, the scroll achieves unparalleled realism, immortalizing a peaceful society under the governance of the emperor. Despite its dramatic history of theft and reproduction, the painting remains an enduring symbol of Chinese unity and cultural pride, celebrated both historically and in contemporary contexts.
In Contemporary Art
In contemporary art, the Qingming Festival continues to inspire creative interpretations that reflect modern perspectives and cultural nuances. Artists explore diverse mediums such as painting, sculpture, installation, and digital art to reinterpret traditional themes of remembrance, family, and community. Artworks delve into the personal and introspective aspects of the festival, exploring themes of identity, diaspora, and memory.
Hui Li, Qingming, 2020
Quingming (2020) by Hui Li is a captivating acrylic and oil painting on linen canvas that encapsulates the essence of the Qingming Festival. Drawing inspiration from the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu's evocative verses, the artwork intricately weaves together themes of nature, tradition, and human emotion. Through vibrant hues and meticulous brushwork, the painting transports viewers to a scene of springtime abundance and solemn reflection. Against a backdrop of drizzling rain, travelers traverse a path laden with nostalgia and longing, seeking solace in the embrace of familiar landscapes. The shepherd boy's gesture toward Apricot Blossom Village symbolizes the timeless rituals of the Qingming Festival, where the past intertwines with the present, and ancestral bonds endure across generations. As contemporary art, Quingming (2020) invites viewers to contemplate the enduring significance of tradition in a rapidly evolving world, echoing the sentiments expressed in the article regarding the festival's cultural and spiritual resonance in both ancient and modern contexts.
The Qingming Festival stands as a testament to the enduring cultural and spiritual significance of ancestor veneration in Chinese tradition. Originating over 2500 years ago, this festival has evolved into one of China's major traditional holidays, observed by ethnic Chinese communities worldwide. Through rituals such as tomb-sweeping, offerings, and family gatherings, the Qingming Festival fosters a profound sense of remembrance and filial piety, bridging the gap between past and present. Symbolism and themes associated with Qingming, including purity, community bonding, and agricultural prosperity, continue to resonate in contemporary society, as evidenced by its depiction in various art forms. From the iconic Song dynasty painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival to modern interpretations like Hui Li's Quingming, artists capture the essence of this festival, inviting viewers to reflect on tradition, identity, and the cyclical nature of life. Thus, the Qingming Festival remains a cherished cultural heritage, embodying timeless values that transcend generations and borders.
Selena Mattei