Qing Ming Festival

Qing Ming, a holiday whose name means “clear and bright,” is a special day in China for mourning family members who have died. It falls in early April—the annual time for spring plowing and sowing.

清明，“清和明”的节日，是中国纪念死去亲人的特殊日子。一般是在四月份，每年春天耕地和下种的季节。

Both members of China’s majority Han population and members of the country’s ethnic minorities offer sacrifices to their ancestors on Qing Ming. The holiday is also called “Shaomu” or “grave-sweeping day” because on this day family members of the deceased clear away dead leaves and weeds and add new dirt to the grave and then pay their respects to their family members who have died. Having cleaned the grave site, family members place foods that they have brought--such as cooked chicken, eggs, fish, sausages, fruits, wine and other spirits—on newspaper and then bow and kneel to show respect for the dead. After honoring the dead, and often asking them to protect family members as well, the food is eaten by the more senior members of the family to bring them good luck and prolong their lives, and fresh flowers are placed on the grave. To ensure that their ancestor’s gravesites will be maintained throughout the year, some people also pay farmers who live around the area to act as caretakers.

汉族和少数民族都在这天去拜访他门的祖先。这天也叫扫墓，因为家人清扫走落叶，拔草，给墓地加新土，然后在给先人拜供。上供时家人在报纸上摆上烧好的鸡，鸡蛋，鱼，肠，水果，酒。上供后，叫先人来保佑家人。然后上供的食物给家里年纪大的人吃，带来好运和取的长寿。鲜花也置在墓地上。要维持先人墓地，有些人会给附近的农民钱来让他们照顾坟地。

As with other Spring holidays in other parts of the world, the days surrounding Qing Ming are the perfect time for Spring cleaning. People clean, decorate their houses with fresh flowers, and cook large amounts of food for picnics. Families get together, and relatives travel from other cities to join them and pay their respects at the gravesite. People who don’t visit their ancestors’ graves on Qing Ming may be criticized for failing to respect their ancestors.

就象春节在世界其它地方一样，清明是春理的最好季节。人们清理，用鲜花来装饰房间，做很多野餐的饭。家人团聚，亲人从其他城市回来扫墓。清明不回来扫墓的人有可能会受到不尊敬先人的批评。

Throughout Chinese history, there have been a lot of famous poems written about the highly celebrated Qing Ming Festival. One of the most famous poems is “Qing Ming,” written by a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty named Du Mu.

在中国的历史上，有很多有关清明的著名诗歌。最有名的是唐代杜牧写的“清明”。

Qing Ming

It rains continuously in Qing Ming,
Pedestrians are extremely saddened.
Asked where the shops selling liquor are,
A shepherd points toward the village surrounded by apricot trees.

清明

清明时节雨纷纷，
路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处是，
牧童摇指杏花村。


If you happen to visit China around the time of Qing Ming, don’t be surprised to see large groups of people—families walking along rural mountain roads, on their way to honor their ancestors by participating in the rituals of Qing Ming.

如你有幸在清明时节访问中国，当你看见成群的人在山路上走，请不要惊呀。这是人们去扫墓。