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Qingming Festival: A dialogue between the dead and the living

Published : Wednesday, April 4, 2018, 9:00 pm
ACROFAN=PRNasia | hkcs@prnasia.com | SNS

BEIJING, April 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on Chinese ways of remembering the dead:

"Coco," this year's winner of the Academy Award for best animated feature, provides a vivid description of the "Day of the Dead" in Mexico, during which people "reunite" with their deceased ancestors in a grand and joyous celebration. Tomorrow, China will remember the dead with a similar occasion, known as the Qingming Festival. However, it is nothing like the festive Mexican way of marking the event, nor is it a day for celebration.

On that day, the most important custom for Chinese people is to sweep the graves of their deceased relatives, offer fruits and flowers, light candles and burn paper money, so as to "talk" with the dead. The festival has very little to do with religion, but is more like a unique way of expressing emotions. The practice has been carried on for thousands of years, and is observed principally by people of all ranks throughout the country.

The tomb-sweeping tradition demonstrates Chinese people's strong attachment to their families and to the national culture. Huangdi, or Yellow Emperor, has long been considered as the ancestor of the Chinese nation who began the Chinese civilization. In recent years, many Chinese expats, along with their overseas-born offspring, would come back on the festival and attend the grand public ceremony in honor of the legendary figure, as they see the occasion a rare opportunity to seek their roots.

On that day, people will also visit cemeteries of revolutionary martyrs, who gave their lives during anti-aggression wars in China's modern history. Flowers will be sent and poems recited in memory of their brave undertakings.

Qingming Festival is unique in Chinese culture, as it's both a folk festival and one of China's 24 solar terms, the divisions of an ancient calendar to guide farming activities based on the changes in climate. The day is usually rainy and misty, adding to the solemn atmosphere. After the rainy season, the trees and grass will turn greener and everything becomes full of vitality. In this light, mourning the dead may not be that sad and gloomy; by remembering the dead, we also receive the hope and strength to carry on.

China Mosaic
https://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Qingming Festival: A dialogue between the dead and the living
https://www.china.org.cn/video/2018-04/04/content_50814381.htm

About China.org.cn

Founded in 2000, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn/China.com.cn) is a key state news website under the auspices of the State Council Information Office, and is managed by China International Publishing Group. We provide round-the-clock news service in ten languages. With users from more than 200 countries and regions, we have become China's leading multi-lingual news outlet introducing the country to the outside world.

We are one of the country's authoritative outlets for government press releases and are authorized to cover various major events. "Live Webcast" is our online webcasting service to present State Council Information Office press conferences in both Chinese and English languages. We are reputed for timely and accurate delivery of news and information, and wide interactions with audiences. In addition, we are authorized to publish and live broadcast major events and press conferences of ministries, local government agencies and institutions as well as enterprises.

In the era of mobile internet, we endeavor to create an array of products for mobile devices headed by the multilingual WAP platform and the mobile APP. We also use Chinese and international social media to publish information for different user groups.

In the future, CIIC will continue to offer authoritative information about China, tell China's stories, voice China's opinions, and introduce a vivid, panoramic and multicultural China to the world through multi-language, multi-media and multi-platforms.

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