Celebratedtwoweeksafterthevernalequinox,TombSweepingDayisoneofthefewtraditionalChineseholidaysthatfollowsthesolarcalendar--typicallyfallingonApril4,5,or6.

　　ItsChinesename"QingMing"literallymeans"ClearBrightness,"hintingatitsimportanceasacelebrationofSpring.Similartothespringfestivalsofothercultures,TombSweepingDaycelebratestherebirthofnature,whilemarkingthebeginningoftheplantingseasonandotheroutdooractivities.

　　QingMingJieinAncientTimes

　　AnoldmantakesonelastlookbeforeleavingtheCityCemeteryatBiandanshanofWuhan,CentralChina'sHubeiProvince.Inancienttimes,peoplecelebratedQingMingJiewithdancing,singing,picnics,andkiteflying.Coloredboiledeggswouldbebrokentosymbolizetheopeningoflife.Inthecapital,theEmperorwouldplanttreesonthepalacegroundstocelebratetherenewingnatureofspring.Inthevillages,youngmenandwomenwouldcourteachother.

　　TheTombSweepingDayasCelebratedToday

　　Withthepassingoftime,thiscelebrationoflifebecameadaytothehonorpastancestors.Followingfolkreligion,theChinesebelievedthatthespiritsofdeceasedancestorslookedafterthefamily.Sacrificesoffoodandspiritmoneycouldkeepthemhappy,andthefamilywouldprosperthroughgoodharvestsandmorechildren.

　　Today,Chinesevisittheirfamilygravestotendtoanyunderbrushthathasgrown.Weedsarepulled,anddirtsweptaway,andthefamilywillsetoutofferingsoffoodandspiritmoney.Unlikethesacrificesatafamily'shomealtar,theofferingsatthetombusuallyconsistofdry,blandfood.Onetheoryisthatsinceanynumberofghostsromearoundagravearea,thelessappealingfoodwillbeconsumedbytheancestors,andnotbeplunderedbystrangers.

　　HonoringAncestors

　　Honoringancestorsbeginswithproperpositioningofagravesiteandcoffin.Expertsinfengshui,orgeomancy,determinethequalityoflandbythesurroundingaspectsofstreams,rivers,trees,hills,andsoforth.Anareathatfacessouth,withgrovesofpinetreescreatesthebestflowofcosmicenergyrequiredtokeepancestorshappy.Unfortunately,nowadays,withChina'sburgeoningpopulation,publiccemetarieshavequicklysurplantedprivategravesites.Familyelderswillvisitthegravesiteatleastonceayeartotendtothetombs.

　　WhileblandfoodisplacedbythetombsonQingMingJie,theChineseregularlyprovidescrumptiousofferingstotheirancestorsataltartablesintheirhomes.Thefoodusuallyconsistsofchicken,eggs,orotherdishesadeceasedancestorwasfondof.Accompaniedbyrice,thedishesandeatingutensilsarecarefullyarrangedsoastobringgoodluck.Sometimes,afamilywillputburningincensewiththeofferingsoastoexpeditethetransferofnutritiouselementstotheancestors.InsomepartsofChina,thefoodistheneatenbytheentirefamily.

　　Kites

　　Besidesthetraditionsofhonoringthedead,peoplealsooftenflykitsonTombSweepingDay.Kitescancomeinallkindsofshapes,sizes,andcolors.Designscouldincludefrogs,dragonflies,butterflies,crabs,bats,andstorks.