Qingming, meaning “clear and bright,” also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day or the Pure Brightness Festival, falls between April 4th and 6th each year. It is a traditional Chinese holiday for tomb sweeping, ancestor worship, and paying respects to the deceased.
Originating from ancient ancestor worship practices dating back to the Zhou Dynasty （C.1100－771 B.C.）, Qingming, along with the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival, is considered one of the four major traditional Chinese festivals.
During Qingming, as temperatures rise and rainfall increases, it is an ideal time for spring ploughing and planting, guiding agricultural activities. Common customs during Qingming include tomb sweeping to honour ancestors, outdoor excursions to enjoy the spring scenery, and activities like kite flying and tree planting, which were once believed to ward off evil spirits but now serve as enjoyable springtime activities.
Qingming delicacy:
The tradition of Qingtuan originates from the Cold Food Festival. During the Cold Food Festival, when fires were forbidden, people in the Jiangnan region would prepare Qingtuan for consumption. Qingtuan can be made with various wild vegetables such as shepherd’s purse, mugwort, maral herb, and chickweed. The pastry is mainly made of glutinous rice, sometimes mixed with japonica rice for a chewier texture, and filled with sweet or savoury fillings, resulting in bright green-coloured ball or dumplings. Nowadays, mugwort is mostly used, its fresh juice mixed with glutinous rice flour, leaving a fragrant taste on the palate. Qingtuan has become the most important food for Qingming, with different names and recipes across the country.
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DANISH
Qingming, som betyder “klar og lys,” også kendt som Gravrengøringsdag eller Ren Lysets Festival, falder mellem den 4. og 6. april hvert år. Det er en traditionel kinesisk helligdag for gravsøgning, ære forfædre og at vise respekt for de afdøde.
Qingming har sin oprindelse i gamle praksisser med forfædre dyrkelse, der går tilbage til Zhou-dynastiet (C.1100-771 f.Kr.). Sammen med Forårsfestivalen, Dragebåtsfestivalen og Månefesten betragtes Qingming som en af de fire store traditionelle kinesiske festivaler.
Under Qingming, når temperaturerne stiger, og nedbøren øges, er det en ideel tid til forårspløjning og plantning, der guider landbrugsaktiviteter. Almindelige skikke under Qingming inkluderer gravsøgning til ære for forfædre, udflugter udendørs for at nyde forårssceneriet, og aktiviteter som at flyve med drage og plante træer, som engang blev troet at værne mod onde ånder, men nu tjener som fornøjelige forårsaktiviteter.
Qingming-delikatesse:
Traditionen med Qingtuan stammer fra den Kolde Madfestival. Under den Kolde Madfestival, hvor ild var forbudt, ville folk i Jiangnan-regionen forberede Qingtuan til forbrug. Qingtuan kan laves med forskellige vilde grøntsager såsom hyrdetaske, malurt, maral urt og skrabe. Dejen er primært lavet af klebrejset ris, undertiden blandet med japonica ris for en mere tygge tekstur, og fyldt med søde eller salte fyld, hvilket resulterer i lysegrønne kugler eller dumplings. I dag bruges malurt primært, dens friske saft blandet med klebrejset ris mel, efterlader en duftende smag på ganen. Qingtuan er blevet den vigtigste mad til Qingming, med forskellige navne og opskrifter over hele landet.
