Qing Ming Jie

Qing Ming Jie

Qing Ming Jie (清明節; pinyin: qīngm�ngji�), sometimes called in English the Festival for Tending Graves, Grave Sweeping Day, or Tomb Sweeping Day (though these are not literal translations), is a traditional Chinese festival/holiday on the 106th day after the winter solstice, occurring April 5th or 4th on the Gregorian Calendar. It marks the middle of spring and above all, a sacred day of the dead.

For the Chinese, it is a day to remember and honour the family's ancestors. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food and libation to the ancestors. The rites are very important to most Chinese and especially farmers.

Nowadays, the festival is also a patriotic day. The April Fifth Movement and the Tiananmen incident were major events involving Qing Ming Jie that took place in Chinese history. When Premier Zhou Enlai passed away in 1976, thousands visited him during the festival to pay respect.