Qingming Festival- or Tomb Sweeping Day
Kathryn Read
Helping SMEs export to Europe & Asia ? International Expansion Explained ? Keynote Speaker
If you follow my content, you'll know I'm a big believer in being interested in the culture of the countries you work with so that you better understand how they tick.
At least in Europe, we often hear about festivals of various cultures and religions such as Ramadan & Eid, Passover, Holi or even Chinese New Year, but Qingming is fairly unknown, although in China at least it's a public holiday. I suppose you could say it's something similar to All Saint's Day or Memorial Day.
The Legend from over 2500 years ago
Like many ancient stories this is "slightly" dark.
The story goes that Jie Zitui cut a chunk of flesh from his thigh to make soup to save his lord from starvation. The lord was saved by this bit of cannibalism and able to flee before returning to take power many years later.
When he eventually remembered what Jie Zitui had done for him, he felt ashamed to have forgotten about him for so long and decided to search for him to show his gratitude. Jie had holed himself up with his mother though and wasn't to be found. One of the lord's advisors recommended that setting the mountain on fire would drive him out & for some inexplicable reason the lord agreed.
As you can imagine, this ended badly with the burnt corpses of Jie and his mother being found once the fire had burnt out. The lord declared that henceforth the day would be commemorated by only eating cold food...
The 2nd year when he returned to the mountain for the festival, he noticed that willow trees were reviving so he declared the next day to be Qingming & at some point in the following millennia the two days were combined to one festival.
Tomb Sweeping
As you probably know, Chinese culture is at the core a Confucian based value system, even if that may not be so obvious in today's fast paced life. Showing respect for departed ancestors by tidying up the tombs or restoring them after the ravages of winter is part of the concept of filial society and respect.
Sacrifices of food and wine, paper to represent money are taken to give to the ancestors and may be burnt (that's more likely in the countryside).
It might not always be practical these days for young people to return to their hometowns, and realistically speaking people are often cremated. That means it may be an online event or hybrid event with simply flowers laid.
Some people believe putting willow branches on doors or gates at this time will help to ward off evil spirits.
领英推荐
Qingming also represents the start of Spring time
It's one of the 24 Chinese solar terms and represents the time when temperatures start to rise and the agricultural year really starts again.
This means that the festival is also a time for families to take Spring outings and often associated with kite flying.
Cut to the Chase - which foods are associated with Qingming?
?? If you read this far, of course you deserve some kind of a treat...
In Southern China 青团 (qīngtuán) is often served. This is a kind of sweet green dumpling made from rice & barley grass and filled with sweet red bean paste (green is healthy right?).
馓子 (sǎnzi) are a kind of salty dough twist which is fried in advance and allowed to dry. These are served all over China & look a bit like dried ramen noodles.
Zongzi?are?sticky rice dumplings filled?with pork, chestnut, and red beans?(sometimes this varies), and wrapped in?bamboo leaves. They are also commonly used and eaten at Qingming Festival (not only at Dragon Boat Festival),?as they are very convenient?for offerings and taking on spring outings.
Qingming is celebrated in Most of East and South East Asia
It's not just China who celebrate Qingming, it's also Korea, Vietnam and other countries in the region. So your Asian colleagues may be travelling today - ask them respectfully about their family traditions around the festival and also what foods they see as traditional.
If anyone would like to deliver some to me then I'm happy to DM you the address ??????
If you would like to read more long form content and get a free ebook on selecting the right international market for your company sign up at the link in the comments below.
??Winner of the Best Creative Award ??Capture clients & win deals faster, with engaging content & design ??Become an immediate center of attention ??I will help you fly to the infinite sky today ?? Sustainability writer
1 年It is not a public holiday over here, Malaysia but the Chinese folks here observe and do it faithfully every year. Thanks for posting this special day. It reminds us of our ancestors and our roots.
Educator | Personal and Professional Success Coach | Mental Fitness | Empowerment Coaching | Leadership Development | Confidence Building | Founder of PetalTalks | Views are Mine
1 年What a great thought Kathryn Read I like it ??????
Executive Success Coaching | Uniting International Teams | Benchmarking and Optimising Performance | Author
1 年Fascinating Kathryn, thank you as always ??
商业之音/声播 中英文撰稿人/文化传播/亲善大使
1 年Kathryn Read What a thorough description of the festival! Thank you ?? If I have to add anything, it will be the significance of Qing Ming in Chinese literature and the accuracy of Chinese solar terms. It often rains on this particular day … so the mood is often better focused on the solemnity and remembrance.
Yes, you can do video without losing your charisma and influence ?? Ready-to-post videos from relaxed?conversations where I pull out your brilliance | Tend to think in GIFs and Tees
1 年I would def try that one ??