Tomb Sweeping Day, or the Qingming Festival, which falls on April 5 this year, marks the 15th day after the Spring Equinox.

Spring Equinox is one of the 24 solar terms that divide a year of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar into segments according to seasonal changes and is a valuable guide for farming purposes. In 2016, the 24 solar terms were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

On Tomb Sweeping Day, Chinese families pay homage at the tombs of their ancestors, clean the grave sites and offer sacrifices. It is also a time when spring is in the air.

With a history of more than 2,500 years, the festival officially became a public holiday in China in 2008, marked by a one-day holiday.

Since 2009, people have been allowed to have three days off for the holiday. While many choose to have a short holiday at this time, some people still return home to observe the traditional festival with their families.

During the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, it was a custom for people to take part in colorful activities on the festival, such as going hiking on a spring day, playing cuju, Chinese style football, playing on swings, or enjoying a tug-of-war. Many of the details are found in poems of that time.

The Tang emperors organized polo contests and performances of singing and dancing. Scholars had gatherings to toast the festival and write poems. Ordinary people enjoyed themselves by holding cockfights or carving auspicious patterns on eggs.

Some experts argue that the ancient painting Riverside Scene at the Qingming Festival portrays the traditions of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), with its vivid depictions of the lifestyles of people from all walks of life, rich or poor.

In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, there were more recreational activities added to the festival such as a temple fair. People not only enjoyed beautiful flowers, but also watched shows like acrobatics and ate delicious snacks.

In the southern Yangtze region of China, the tradition of eating qingtuan is still prevalent. The green dumplings are made of glutinous rice mixed with barley grass, often filled with sweet red bean paste.

The current Tomb Sweeping Day incorporates observances of the Cold Food Festival. During the festival, people avoided lighting fires and only ate cold food. The two festivals are now combined into one.

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), loyal courtier Jie Zitui cut flesh from his thigh to prepare a meal to feed Prince Chong’er, who had been forced to flee. When Chong’er regained power and became Duke Wen of Jin, he overlooked Jie, who left the court to live in a forest.

As Jie refused Chong’er’s offer to come back to court, the latter set the forest on fire to force Jie and his mother to come out of hiding, only to find that they were burned to death. Out of remorse he renamed the Cold Food Festival in memory of Jie.