Chinese festival - Qingming

What kind of scene is Qingming described as in the writings of ancient scholars?

On the eve of Qingming, ancient customs included the "Cold Food Festival," where people refrained from lighting fires and only consumed cold food (due to the influence of Jie Zhitui). In later developments, customs such as tomb-sweeping, outings, swinging on swings, playing cuju (an ancient Chinese ball game), flying kites, and cockfighting were gradually added. People also enjoyed foods like Qingtuan (a type of green rice ball) and Ai Bing (a cake made from Artemisia leaves). Qingming is a festival that combines solemnity and lightness, where joy and sorrow coexist, representing the normalcy of life.

In the warm spring of the southern region, there is a unique charm described by Ouyang Xiu. As in the poem "Returning Home," he writes, "In the southern land, half of spring is for outings, where the wind gently carries the sound of horses. Green plums are like beans, willows are like eyebrows, and butterflies flutter about in the daily routine." In the gentle spring breeze, one can occasionally hear the neighing of horses. The green plums on the branches are just the size of beans, and the delicate willow leaves are as slender and beautiful as a woman's eyebrows. With the lengthening daylight hours of spring, the light and fluttering butterflies seem to add a touch of charm to the season. In this leisurely time, one might ponder with deep thoughts.

Qingming is an important festival for tomb-sweeping and ancestral worship. It serves as a pivotal moment for reflecting on the past and seeking the roots of the spirit. During this time, people remember the deceased, honor their ancestors, and trace back the long and historical moments of the past. As stated in the "Zuo Zhuan," "The important matters of a nation lie in sacrifice and war." According to the old customs, people bring food, fruits, paper money, and other items to the gravesite. They offer the food as a sacrifice to their loved ones, burn the paper money, cover the grave with new soil, and place a few branches of fresh green on the tomb for good luck. Finally, they perform rituals, pay their respects, and share a meal with the offerings.

The crows and magpies cry amidst the tall trees, as Qingming and the Cold Food Festival approach, who in the household is crying? The wind blows, scattering paper money in the vast wilderness, where ancient tombs pile up, covered in green spring grass. Pear and plum blossoms reflect on the white poplar trees, all marking the places of separation between life and death. The mournful cries of the underworld go unheard, and in the evening rain, people return home in silence.

——Tang·Bai Juyi

Under Bai Juyi's pen, there is an overwhelming sense of endless sadness. As he gazes upon the open field, the cawing of crows on tall trees disturbs his heartstrings. Listening carefully, he wonders whose cries of mourning echo through the air. The wind blows across the wilderness, scattering paper money, and the overlapping graves are covered in lush spring grass. In the places where crabapple and pear blossoms intermingle with white poplar and willow, it marks the realm of separation between life and death. However, the departed have long gone to the underworld, so how could they hear the cries of their loved ones? Perhaps there is an intense longing, as delicate as a strand of hair, that wishes to communicate with the departed.

"Life and death are indeed profound." When people reminisce about the deceased, the subject of life born from death naturally enters their contemplation. The ever-changing clouds, the vast sea transformed, life like a fleeting dream, and a momentary existence like a ephemeral flower. In the boundless expanse of time and space, where does the fleeting life ultimately go?

How do we confront death as we strive to live?

Treading through the spring, enjoying food and leisure, and paying respects to ancestors at the grave site, we experience the interplay of life and passing. I remember Shi Tiesheng's words in "Me and the Temple of Earth": "Death is something that no matter how delayed, we will never miss... Death is a festival that will inevitably arrive." Each of us is born to die, it is unavoidable. From the moment of birth, the countdown to death begins to tick, it is the nature of being human, so why be pessimistic?

"Death" is not just the disappearance of the physical body. David Eagleman, in "The Life List," discusses how a person dies three times:

1）When your heartbeat ceases and your breath fades, you are biologically declared dead;

2）When you are buried, people attend your funeral in black attire, declaring your non-existence in society, as you quietly depart;

3）When the last person who remembers you forgets you, then you truly die. The entire universe will no longer be connected to you.

Similarly, the movie "Coco" tells a story about dimensions of death. The first death is the vanishing of the soul's vessel, and true death is when everyone forgets you, the "ultimate death" - death is not a permanent farewell, but rather, being forgotten is.

During Qingming, we gradually untangle the roots within ourselves, in the midst of remembrance and longing. It is also an opportunity for tranquility and reflection, to contemplate life, discuss death, and ponder its meaning. In the face of death, we seek the essence of life! Through the passage of time, we look back on yesterday while yearning for tomorrow, approaching life with reverence and anticipation. Perhaps, this is the significance and essence of Qingming.