Qingming Festival (Tomb-sweeping Day)

Qingming Festival (also known as Pure Brightness Festival or Tomb-sweeping Day), which falls on either April 4th or 5th of the solar calendar, is one of the Chinese Twenty-four Solar Terms. From that date temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, indicating that it is the crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring. Qingming Festival therefore has a close relationship with agriculture. However, it is not only a seasonal symbol; it is also a festival of paying respect to the dead, a spring outing, and other activities.

Origin:

It is said that the Qingming Festival was originally held to commemorate a loyal man living in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), named Jie Zitui. Jie cut a piece of flesh from his own leg in order to save his hungry lord who was forced to go into exile when the crown was in jeopardy. The lord came back to his position nineteen years later, and forgot Jie Zitui but later felt ashamed and decided to reward him. However, Jie had blocked himself up in a mountain with his mother. In order to find Jie, the lord ordered that the mountain should be set on fire. Later Jie was found dead with his mother. In order to commemorate Jie, the lord ordered that the day Jie died was Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival - the day that only cold food could be eaten.

The second year, when the lord went to the mountain to sacrifice to Jie, he found willows revived, so he gave instructions that the day after Hanshi Festival was to be Qingming Festival. Later, the two festivals were combined as one - Qingming Festival.

Traditional Customs:

Qingming Festival is a time of many different activities, among which the main ones are tomb sweeping, taking a spring outing, and flying kites. Some other lost customs like wearing willow branches on the head and riding on swings have added infinite joy in past days. The festival is a combination of sadness and happiness.

1. Tomb Sweeping

Tomb sweeping is regarded as the most important custom in the Qingming Festival from which the name of Tomb-sweeping day is got. Cleaning the tomb and paying respect to the dead person with offerings are the two important parts of remembering the past relatives. Weeds around the tomb are cleared away and fresh soil is added to show care of the dead. The dead person’s favourite food and wine are taken to sacrifice to them, along with paper resembling money. This is all burned in the hope that the deceased are not lacking food and money. Kowtow before the tablets set up for the dead are made.

Today, with cremation taking over from burying, the custom has been extremely simplified in cities. Only flowers are presented to the dead relatives and revolutionary martyrs. No matter how respect is shown, good prayers for the deceased are expressed.

2. Spring Outing

Not only is it a day for commemorating the dead, is it also a festival for people to enjoy themselves. During March, everything in nature takes on a new look, as trees turn green, flowers blossom, and the sun shines brightly. It is a fine time to go out and to appreciate the beautiful scenes of nature during the festival. This custom can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) and followed by each dynasty later till today. So visitors can be seen everywhere during the month of the festival.

Spring outings not only add joy to life but also promote a healthy body and mind.

3. Flying Kites

Flying kites is an activity favored by many people during the Qingming Festival. Kites are not only flown during the day time but also in the evening. Little lanterns are tied to the kite or to the string that holds the kite. And when the kite is flying in the sky, the lanterns look like twinkling stars that add unique scenery to the sky during the night. What makes flying kites during this festival special is that people cut the string while the kite is in the sky to let it fly free. It is said this brings good luck and that diseases can be eliminated by doing this.

All in all, the Qingming Festival is an occasion of unique characteristics, integrating sorrowful tears to the dead with the continuous laughter from the spring outing.

The Purpose-driven Media, Now I'm Realized

For a long time, I trusted BBC (UK) and CNN (USA) are both objective to their report, just as the western society advocates. However, I was absolutely awakened by the demoniac act of what they have "shown" on the issue of riot in Tibet, China. These two purpose-driven media are the symbol of some other media, including BILD (Germany), Washington Post (USA), etc, with flubdub and gulf. (The "you" in the following passage refers to those media not only above but also not been mentioned).

Where is your objective attitude and fairness? Who authorizes you to deliberately and consciencelessly modify the truth of events by cropping the original pictures and borrowing the unrelated ones? Then where is your evidence to support your jaundiced viewpoint?

Your purposes are so obvious and ugly. You are so darkminded in collusion with each other, but unfortunately, all of you lost your credibility from the global readers. At least I recognized that you are blind and uncivilized as functional illiteracy. China is not so bad in your publicity. Even though I admit that every country has its problems, however, your purposes to destroy others could not demonstrate your own good. So why don't you supervise your national problems and your government? You are not privileged to concoct false news about China.

From these events which obviously proves the purpose of splitting China. Under the guise of inhuman of Chinese government, some politicians in western countries planned whatever they can to foment unrest in China. For instance, acts to anti-Olympics 2008 by slander, and uglifies China by purposively reports wrong. At all costs, even to make the well-known media to become notorious. Then I know, the more famous media are in the western country, the more insidious means they may use to blame China.

Above all, you fake news makers are useful idiots for your government, what a shame that you lose your professional ethics. It is a kind of unprofessional and irresponsible behavior in the news industry. Thus, I strongly object this kind of rubbish news to be released in the future. No matter how you quibble what you have done, and what you will report in the future, I would not trust you if the liars at large in your company.

And finally, what pleased me most is that justice still exists among other western media, and the foreign tourists objectively described their experience in Tibet. I am here to express my most sincere gratitude to them for sticking to the truth and to welcome everyone in the world to have a visit in China. I think you will have a new and positive image of China in the right perspectives.

P.S. CNN is one of the world's sophisticated leading liars, good at warping some words and adding its own hidden meaning. BBC is a faker even the Queen will sue its shameless editing technique. And so on......