The Origin of Qingming Festival

The festival originated from the Cold Food or Hanshi Festival which remembered Jie Zitui, a nobleman of the state of Jin (modern Shanxi) during the Spring and Autumn Period.

Amid the Li Ji Unrest, he followed his master Prince Chong’er in 655 BC to exile among the Di tribes and around China. Supposedly, he once even cut meat from his own thigh to provide his lord with soup.

In 636 BC, Duke Mu of Qin invaded Jin and enthroned Chong’er as its duke, where he was generous in rewarding those who had helped him in his time of need. Owing either to his own high-mindedness or to the duke’s neglect, however, Jie was long passed over. He finally retired to the forest around Mount Mian with his elderly mother.

The duke went to the forest but could not find them. He then ordered his men to set fire to the forest in order to force Jie out. When Jie and his mother were killed instead, the duke was overcome with remorse and erected a temple in his honor.

To commemorate Jie, the duke ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie’s death. Thus began the “Cold Food Festival”, a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.

The Cold Food Festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the Cold Food festival. The custom of worshiping jie zitui also became a custom of sweeping tombs and worshipping ancestors on tomb-sweeping day. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors.