清明节英语介绍

　　清明节的起源
　　QingmingFestival，alsoknownasPureBrightnessFestivalorTombsweepingDay，isoneofthe24segmentsoftheChinesecalendar。Itnormallyfallsonthe4thor5thofApril，betweenspringplowingandsummerweeding，andisatimetopayrespectstoone39；sancestorsandtotidytheirgravesite。Onthisday，wholefamilies，youngandold，gotothegravesiteofdeceasedfamilymemberstoburnincenseandperformaritualofferingwhileclearingawayplantovergrowthfromthegravesite。
　　QingmingFestivaliswhenChinesepeoplevisitthegravesorburialgroundsoftheirancestors。Traditionally，peoplebroughtawholeroosterwiththemtothegravesvisitedbuttheoccasionhasbecomelessformalovertime。ThefestivaloriginatedfromHanshiDay（寒食节，literally，Daywithcoldfoodonly），amemorialdayforJieZitui（介子推，orJieZhitui）。JieZituidiedin636BCintheSpringandAutumnPeriod。HewasoneofmanyfollowersofDukeWenofJinbeforehebecameaduke。Once，duringWen39；s19yearsofexile，theyhadnofoodandJiepreparedsomemeatsoupforWen。WenenjoyeditalotandwonderedwhereJiehadobtainedthesoup。ItturnedoutJiehadcutapieceofmeatfromhisownthightomakethesoup。Wenwassomovedhepromisedtorewardhimoneday。However，Jiewasnotthetypeofpersonwhosoughtrewards。Instead，hejustwantedtohelpWentoreturntoJintobecomeking。OnceWenbecameduke，Jieresignedandstayedawayfromhim。DukeWenrewardedthepeoplewhohelpedhiminthedecades，butforsomereasonheforgottorewardJie，whobythenhadmovedintotheforestwithhismother。DukeWenwenttotheforest，butcouldnotfindJie。Heedingsuggestionsfromhisofficials，DukeWenorderedmentosettheforestonfiretoforceoutJie。However，Jiediedinthefire。Feelingremorseful，DukeWenorderedthreedayswithoutfiretohonourJie39；smemory。ThecountywhereJiediedisstillcalledJiexiu（介休，literallytheplaceJierestsforever）。
　　清明节的风俗习惯
　　QingmingFestivalisatimeofmanydifferentactivities，amongwhichthemainonesaretombsweeping，takingaspringouting，flyingkites。Someotherlostcustomslikewearingwillowbranchesontheheadandridingonswingshaveaddedinfinitejoyinpastdays。Thefestivalisacombinationofsadnessandhappiness，perhapsbittersweet。
　　TombSweepingorAncestorWorshipping扫墓
　　ThemajorcustominQingmingFestivalistombsweeping。Accordingtofolkreligion，thusitisveryimportanttokeepthetombsclean。
　　TheQingmingFestivalisspenthonoringthedead，whichisoneofmanywaysgoodConfuciansdemonstratefilialpiety。Onthisday，peoplevisittheirfamilygravestoremoveanyunderbrushthathasgrown。Theywoulduprootweedsnearthegravesites，wipethetombstonesanddecoratethetombstoneswithfreshflowers。Andthentheywillsetoutofferingsoffoodandpapermoney。
　　SpringOuting春游、踏青
　　Notonlyisitadayforcommemoratingthedead，isitalsoafestivalforpeopletoenjoythemselves。DuringMarch，everythinginnaturetakesonanewlook，astreesturngreen，flowersblossom，andthesunshinesbrightly。Itisafinetimetogooutandtoappreciatethebeautifulscenesofnatureduringthefestival。ThiscustomcanbetracedbacktotheTangDynastyandfollowedbyeachdynastylatertilltoday。Sovisitorscanbeseeneverywhereduringthemonthofthefestival。
　　Springoutingsnotonlyaddjoytolifebutalsopromoteahealthybodyandmind。
　　FlyingKites放风筝
　　FlyingkitesisanactivityfavoredbymanypeopleduringtheQingmingFestival。Kitesarenotonlyflownatdaytimebutalsointheevening。Littlelanternsaretiedtothekiteortothestringthatholdsthekite。Andwhenthekiteisflyinginthesky，thelanternslookliketwinklingstarsthatadduniquescenerytotheskyduringthenight。Whatmakesflyingkitesduringthisfestivalspecialisthatpeoplecutthestringwhilethekiteisintheskytoletitflyfree。Itissaidthisbringsgoodluckandthatdiseasescanbeeliminatedbydoingthis。
　　PlantingWillowTrees插柳
　　BecauseJieZituidiedembracingawillowtree，thewillowisbelievedtohavemiraculouspowersagainstevil。DuringtheQingmingFestival，willowbranchesarehungondoorfrontsandusedtosweepthetombs。
　　Swinging荡秋千
　　Thecommonswinghasofferedsporttomanychildrenthroughouttheworld。DuringtheMingDynasty，swingingwasadesignatedrecreationontheQingmingFestival，alsoknownastheClearandBrightFestivalortheTombSweepingFestival。Becausethefestivalgenerallyoccursinmidspring，manyalsousetheoccasionforfamilyoutings。
　　AccordingtotheAnnalsoftheMingCourt，thisdaywasalsocalledSwingFestival，whenswingsweresuspendedintheHallofEarthlyPeaceoftheForbiddenCityandinalltheresidentialcomplexeswherepalaceladiesresided。Ladiesoftheimperialhouseholdworecolorfulsilksespeciallymadefortheoccasion，andamusedthemselvesonswings。
　　ATimetoTasteTea品茶
　　QingmingFestivalisalsoatimetoenjoyacupoftea，becausetheteaproducedaroundQingmingFestivalissaidtobewithhighquality。
　　Thepluckingofteausuallytakesplaceinspring，summerandautumn。Tealeavesfromdifferentseasonshavedifferentappearancesandinnerquality。Tealeavespluckedinspring，fromearlyMarchtotheQingmingFestival，firsttea。Itscolorisoflightjadegreen，andtastespurewithatouchofacerbity。TwoweeksafterQingming，itistheGuyusolartermontheChineselunarcalendar。Duringthistime，theJiangnanareawillexperiencearoundoffineprecipitationforthemoisteningofcrops。Andthisbringsforththesecondpeakseasonofteapicking。TealeavescollectedaftertheQingmingbutbeforeGpreraintea，postraintea。Sspricesusuallyvaryaccordingtothetimethetealeaveswerepicked，withthepricesbeinghigherforearlierteaandlowerforthelater。Inmostcases，earlyspringgreenteaisthebestinqualityamongallavailabletea。
　　PoemsrelatedwithTombsweepingDay