Qingming (Vietnamese: Thanh Minh) is the name of the 5th solar term of 24 solar terms of the calendar agriculture of the people in the East Asian cultural region (China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam). It is on the fourth or the fifth and ends on the twentieth or twenty-one of the April of the solar calendar. At this time, the weather is very clear and bright. Qingming Festival is a festival that takes place on the first day of Qingming solar term, showing the gratitude of descendants to their parents and grandparents who died.
ACTIVITIES AT QINGMING FESTIVAL
IN CHINA
Chinese people living in China or settling in other countries perform festivals very detailly and richly. The first job of this festival is to go to the tomb area to clean the tombs of the parents, grandparents or relatives. When they go, they bring offerings such as candles, votive papers, fruits, some bring even roasted pork to offer. Going to the place, they cleaned the grass that was covering the graves and arranged the hades paper money on them. Each sheet of paper is pitched in an incense stick. The offerings are placed carefully in front of the tombs. People then lit the candles and pray. Some families burn firecrackers. The festival happens very busily. After carrying out the ceremony, they return home to perform offering ancestors at home. After offering, they eat and drink happily together.
IN VIETNAM
Viet (Kinh) people have cleaned their tombs of grandparents, parents and relatives before Lunar New Year, so on Qingming Festival, they only go to visit the tombs. Offerings are also quite simple, 3 incense sticks, a bouquet of flowers, a plate of fruit is enough. At home, they also cook food to offer the God of wealth, the Earth God, ancestors, relatives’ souls, and lonely souls. In general, Vietnamese organize the Qingming Festival quite simply. In particular, on this day, people usually build tombs with cement and bricks, making them become more spacious, high and beautiful.
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