TheQingming(PureBrightness)Festivalisoneofthe24seasonaldivisionpointsinChina,fallingonApril4-6eachyear.Afterthefestival,thetemperaturewillriseupandrainfallincreases.Itisthehightimeforspringplowingandsowing.ButtheQingmingFestivalisnotonlyaseasonalpointtoguidefarmwork,itismoreafestivalofcommemoration.
Thisisthemostimportantdayofsacrifice.BoththeHanandminorityethnicgroupsatthistimeoffersacrificestotheirancestorsandsweepthetombsofthediseased.Also,theywillnotcookonthisdayandonlycoldfoodisserved.
TheHanshi(ColdFood)FestivalwasusuallyonedaybeforetheQingmingFestival.AsourancestorsoftenextendedthedaytotheQingming,theywerelatercombined.
OneachQingmingFestival,allcemeteriesarecrowdedwithpeoplewhocametosweeptombsandoffersacrifices.Trafficonthewaytothecemeteriesbecomesextremelyjammed.Thecustomshavebeengreatlysimplifiedtoday.Afterslightlysweepingthetombs,peopleofferfood,flowersandfavoritesofthedead,thenburnincenseandpapermoneyandbowbeforethememorialtablet.