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Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese
holiday that combines seasonal customs and ancestral worship, with a history
spanning over 2500 years. Originally, it was one of the twenty-four solar terms
used to guide agricultural activities.
清明节的来由融合了节气文化和祭祀传统，经历了历史演变和习俗融合。清明节可以追溯到中国周朝时期，至今已有超过2500年的历史。最初，清明节是作为二十四节气之一而出现的，用于指导农事活动。
The custom of tomb sweeping and ancestor
worship during Qingming Festival is related to the Cold Food Festival. The Cold
Food Festival has an even earlier origin. According to legend, during the
Spring and Autumn Period, a nobleman named Prince Chong'er of the Jin State
(later known as Duke Wen of Jin) was exiled. His loyal minister, Jie Zitui, cut
a piece of flesh from his own leg to provide food for the hungry prince. When
Chong'er returned to his homeland and rewarded his loyal minister, Jie Zitui chose
to live in seclusion in the mountains. In order to force him out, Chong'er
ordered the mountains to be set on fire. However, Jie Zitui firmly refused to
come out and, tragically, both he and his mother were burned to death. To
commemorate Jie Zitui's loyalty and righteousness, the day of setting the
mountain on fire was designated as the "Cold Food Festival." On this
day, people refrained from making fires and ate cold food. Over time, various
mourning activities developed.
而清明节俗中扫墓祭祖的部分则与寒食节有关。寒食节的起源比清明更早。据传春秋时期，晋公子重耳（即后来的晋文公）流亡时，介子推割股献肉以救其饥困。重耳回国后封赏功臣，介子推却隐居山林。重耳为逼其出山而下令烧山，介子推坚决不出，最终与其母一同被烧死。为了纪念介子推的忠义，将放火烧山的那一天定为“寒食节”，在这一天禁火、吃冷食，并逐渐发展出一系列悼念活动。
The Cold Food Festival and Qingming
Festival gradually merged due to their close dates. During the Tang Dynasty,
the two festivals were officially combined into one, and Qingming Festival
inherited the customs of tomb sweeping and ancestor worship from the Cold Food
Festival, becoming an important ritual holiday.
寒食节与清明节在日期上相近，遂逐渐相互渗透、融合。到了唐代，官方正式将寒食节与清明节合二为一，清明节因此继承了寒食节的扫墓、祭奠先人的习俗，成为重要的祭祀节日。
On Qingming Festival, people visit the
graves of their ancestors to sweep tombstones, make offerings of food, burn
paper money, offer flowers, and plant trees. Sometimes, simple ceremonies are
held, such as reciting memorial texts and performing rituals. These customs
have been passed down to this day and have become important traditions widely
followed in Chinese society.
人们在清明这一天前往祖先墓地扫墓、祭拜，表达对先人的怀念与敬仰。扫墓活动包括清理墓地、祭供食物、焚烧纸钱、献花、植树等，有时还会举行简单的仪式，如诵读祭文、叩首行礼等。这一习俗沿袭至今，成为中国社会普遍遵循的重要传统。
In addition to the solemn tomb-sweeping and
ancestor-worship activities, Qingming Festival also includes a variety of
outdoor recreational activities such as spring outings, planting willows,
flying kites, playing cuju (a traditional ball game), and swinging on swings.
These customs not only reflect people's respect for life and remembrance of the
deceased but also demonstrate their appreciation for the beauty of life and
their closeness to nature. They reflect the unique understanding and profound
insights of Chinese traditional culture, emphasizing a philosophy of mourning
without excessive sorrow and joy without excessive indulgence.
清明节除了庄重的扫墓祭祖活动外，还有踏青、插柳、放风筝、蹴鞠、荡秋千等丰富多彩的户外娱乐活动，这些习俗既体现了人们对生命的尊重与对逝者的追思，也展现了对生活之美的欣赏与对大自然的亲近，反映了中国传统文化中哀而不伤、乐而不淫的生活哲学。
As one of the four major traditional
Chinese festivals, Qingming Festival is the result of the integration of
ancient solar terms and ancestral worship culture. It is not only an important
agricultural solar term, marking the prime time for spring plowing but also a
significant traditional festival for people to remember their ancestors,
promote filial piety, connect with nature, and enjoy the beauty of spring. This
festival carries rich historical and cultural connotations, embodying the
Chinese nation's unique understanding and profound insights into views on life
and death, family values, and the relationship between humans and nature."
作为中国的四大传统节日之一，清明节是古代节气文化与祭祀文化相互融合的结果，它既是一个重要的农业节气，标志着春耕的大好时机，又是人们缅怀先人、弘扬孝道、亲近自然、享受春光的重要传统节日。这一节日承载了丰富的历史文化内涵，体现了中华民族对生死观、家庭观以及人与自然关系的独特理解与深刻感悟。
Note:
1. The Four Major Traditional Festivals in
China are the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and
Mid-Autumn Festival.
中国四大传统节日是：春节、清明节、端午节、中秋节。
2. The phrase " mourning without
excessive sorrow and joy without excessive indulgence " comes from
Confucius's commentary in 'The Analects' on a passage from 'The Book of Songs,'
specifically the chapter 'Guan Ju.'
When translated, " mourning without
excessive sorrow " means that in times of sorrow or grief, a person
should maintain emotional restraint and composure, experiencing sadness without
being overwhelmed to the point of causing excessive harm to their mind and
body. They acknowledge their sadness but do not let it consume them.
Meanwhile, " joy without excessive
indulgence " suggests that when experiencing happiness or joy, one
should also exercise moderation, avoiding indulgence to an immoderate extent.
In general, this saying advocates for a
balanced approach to emotional expression, embodying in general the cautious
and moderate life philosophy prevalent in Chinese culture.
"哀而不伤，乐而不淫"这句话出自《论语》中孔子评论《诗经》中《关雎》篇章的言论。“哀而不伤”指的是人在遭遇悲伤或哀痛之事时，能够保持情绪的节制和内敛，虽有哀思但不至于沉溺其中，以致身心过度损伤。“乐而不淫”则是指在感受快乐、欢愉时，也要有所节制，避免放纵无度。总之，这句话倡导的是一种中庸的情感表达方式，整体上体现了中国文化中审慎和节制的生活哲学。
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