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明节冷知识英语版
As an important traditional Chinese festival, Qingming Festival has been celebrated for over 2,500 years. It falls on April 4 or 5 every year and often coincides with the onset of spring, making it a significant time for spring outings and tomb-sweeping rituals. Here are some lesser-known facts about Qingming Festival:
1. The festival has its origins in the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).
Qingming Festival can be traced back to the Han dynasty, when people would visit their ancestors' tombs and clean them up during the third lunar month, which corresponds to April in the Gregorian calendar.
2. The traditional Qingming meal is called "cold food" (Han Shi).
In ancient times, people would stop using fire for cooking or heating during the period from Qingming to Grain Rain (around April 20), and instead eat cold food to avoid starting a fire that could burn down their homes or fields.
3. The Tomb-Sweeping Day poem has been loved for centuries.
The famous Tomb-Sweeping Day poem, "Qingming" by Du Mu, is a well-known literary work that has been passed down through the centuries. It vividly portrays the melancholy and nostalgia of the festival.
4. People fly kites on Qingming Festival.
Since the Han dynasty, people have flown kites on Qingming Festival, as it is believed that the higher the kite flies, the closer it gets to heaven and the more likely it is to bring good luck.
5. The festival is celebrated in many Asian countries.
Qingming Festival is not only celebrated in China, but also in many other Asian countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia. The Vietnamese and Koreans also practice the custom of visiting ancestors' graves and clean them up on this day.
6. Qingming Festival was listed as a national holiday in 2008.
In 2008, the Chinese government designated Qingming Festival as a national holiday, providing people with the opportunity to participate in tomb-sweeping activities and pay tribute to their ancestors.
7. Traditional Qingming Festival foods include Qingtuan and Phoenix Egg.
Qingtuan, a type of green rice cake filled with sweet bean paste or meat, is a popular Qingming Festival treat. Phoenix Egg, a marbled tea egg, is also a traditional snack eaten on this day.
Qingming Festival is a time to remember and honor our ancestors, as well as a time to appreciate the arrival of spring and new beginnings. It offers us a chance to reflect on our cultural roots and forge deeper connections with our families and communities.