Qingming Festival and Easter: A comparative cultural study

In a world where cultural diversity makes us richer, there is a plethora of traditions and festivals to explore. In this article, our colleague Bo Yao #姚博 compares the Qingming Festival in China, which takes place in early April, with Easter - and will highlight the unique aspects of each celebration. Enjoy the read!

The Qingming Festival: a tribute to the ancestors

Today's Qingming Festival, also known as the "Bright Day Festival" (in Chinese, Qingming means "clarity" and "brightness"), is a traditional Chinese festival that encourages people to honour the graves of their ancestors and enjoy the spring growth outside.

The simultaneous occurrence of ancestor worship and excursions into the countryside gives this festival a bittersweet character. Why is this so? This is related to ancient Chinese beliefs and views of life and death. They honoured nature on the one hand and their ancestors on the other. Death may be the end of an individual's physical life, but in the cycle of nature, life continues and stretches on. The traditional idea of the "unity of nature and human" finds a living embodiment during the festival.

How long does the Qingming Festival last?

Like many Chinese public holidays, the date is calculated using the Chinese lunar calendar. Although the date of the holiday changes slightly each year, it usually falls in early April - this year on the 4th of April. The Qingming Festival is an official public holiday in mainland China and people usually have a day off, not counting weekends.

Special activities

In China, the Qingming Festival is a time of many different activities, the most important of which are grave sweeping, putting willow branches over the door, spring outing and kite flying. It is a combination of sadness and happiness.

Tomb sweeping

Grave sweeping is considered the most important custom of the Qingming festival. Cleaning the grave and honouring the deceased with offerings are two important parts of commemorating the deceased loved ones. The weeds around the grave are removed and fresh earth is filled in to honour the deceased. The deceased's favourite foods and wine are taken away to offer to them, along with paper that looks like money. All of this is burnt in the hope that the deceased will not lack food or money. Today, as cremation has replaced burial, the custom has been greatly simplified in the cities. Only flowers are presented to the dead relatives and prayers are said for the deceased.

Flying kites

Flying kites is an activity favoured by many Chinese during the Qingming Festival. The kites are flown not only during the day, but also in the evening. Small lanterns are tied to the kite or to the string holding the kite. As the kite rises into the sky, the lanterns look like twinkling stars, giving the night sky a unique backdrop. The special thing about kite flying on this day is that people cut the string when the kite is in the sky to let it fly freely. This is believed to carry away illness and misfortune.

Dishes

Different places in China serve different dishes for the Qingming Festival. Most of the food eaten is cold, as fire is traditionally forbidden during the Qingming Festival. Traditional Qingming Festival foods include sweet green rice balls called qingtuan, peach blossom porridge, crispy cakes (sǎnzi), Qingming snails and eggs. These dishes are usually cooked one or two days before the Qingming Festival so that people can eat and relax during the holiday.

Easter: a celebration of rebirth and new beginnings

On the other side of the globe, many people celebrate Easter, an important festival in the Christian calendar that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, Easter is celebrated with various customs and symbols that can vary depending on the region. These include colouring and hiding Easter eggs, depicting the Easter bunny, baking Easter cakes such as Easter lambs or Easter bunnies, and sharing festive meals with the family. Easter is not only a religious festival, but also a symbol of the rebirth of nature in spring. With customs such as Easter eggs, which symbolise fertility and new life are said to bring joy and abundance - Easter is also a celebration of new beginnings and hope. The beginning of spring is defined as 21th March. Easter is on the Sunday after the spring full moon - meaning the first full moon from 21th March, which is the 31th of March this year.

Cultural comparisons: A mosaic of cultural traditions

The Qingming Festival and Easter both emphasise the beauty and diversity of human traditions. Both festivals celebrate spring, new beginnings and the appreciation of life in their own way.

Comparing these two remarkable festivals highlights not only the unique traditions of each culture, but also the universal themes that connect us all.

In this spirit, we at the #DBEurasianteam wish all our customers, partners and friends a relaxing and peaceful holiday season with your loved ones.

#DBCargoEurasia #HappyEaster

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