Sweeping of the tombs Monday

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

My wife is going to Baise to pay her respects to her ancestors.

The Qingming festival falls on the first day of the fifth solar term, named Qingming. Its name denotes a time for people to go outside and enjoy the greenery of springtime.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a0/Ching_Ming_comforts_to_heaven.png/200px-Ching_Ming_comforts_to_heaven.png

[david_dawei]

Some history on this:

 

In another thread, I mentioned the 24 seasonal markers which reflect the ancients relationship to nature:

 

While a lunar year is from one Chinese new year to the next, the 24 seasonal markers are solar based and correspond to the path of the sun in 15 degree intervals; When the sun reaches the latitude of 315 degrees, it is defined as the ¡®start of spring¡¯ (¡°li chun¡± - Á¢´º) ...

 

QingMing (clear & bright) is the 5th seasonal marker for farming activities when the temperatures rise and sowing should begin. As a festival, it ties back to the Hanshi (Cold Food festival, a day before QingMing); During the Qing the two days were merged.

 

Although Confucius is often associated with promoting ancestor respect (worship), that practice existed prior to him. Confucius spoke against excessive expenditures to worship the dead. Despite this often association, the festival itself does not appear to be tied to Confucius, but rather with the spirit world (Ú¤½ç) where their ancestors went.

 

More can be read here:

 

http://www.chinavoc.com/festivals/qingming.htm

[Jon & Cindy]

Some history on this:

 

In another thread, I mentioned the 24 seasonal markers which reflect the ancients relationship to nature:

 

While a lunar year is from one Chinese new year to the next, the 24 seasonal markers are solar based and correspond to the path of the sun in 15 degree intervals; When the sun reaches the latitude of 315 degrees, it is defined as the ¡®start of spring¡¯ (¡°li chun¡± - Á¢´º) ...

 

QingMing (clear & bright) is the 5th seasonal marker for farming activities when the temperatures rise and sowing should begin. As a festival, it ties back to the Hanshi (Cold Food festival, a day before QingMing); During the Qing the two days were merged.

 

Although Confucius is often associated with promoting ancestor respect (worship), that practice existed prior to him. Confucius spoke against excessive expenditures to worship the dead. Despite this often association, the festival itself does not appear to be tied to Confucius, but rather with the spirit world (Ú¤½ç) where their ancestors went.

 

More can be read here:

 

http://www.chinavoc.com/festivals/qingming.htm

 

 

Cool site. Thanks!

[yangm]

Some history on this:

 

In another thread, I mentioned the 24 seasonal markers which reflect the ancients relationship to nature:

 

While a lunar year is from one Chinese new year to the next, the 24 seasonal markers are solar based and correspond to the path of the sun in 15 degree intervals; When the sun reaches the latitude of 315 degrees, it is defined as the ¡®start of spring¡¯ (¡°li chun¡± - Á¢´º) ...

 

QingMing (clear & bright) is the 5th seasonal marker for farming activities when the temperatures rise and sowing should begin. As a festival, it ties back to the Hanshi (Cold Food festival, a day before QingMing); During the Qing the two days were merged.

 

Although Confucius is often associated with promoting ancestor respect (worship), that practice existed prior to him. Confucius spoke against excessive expenditures to worship the dead. Despite this often association, the festival itself does not appear to be tied to Confucius, but rather with the spirit world (Ú¤½ç) where their ancestors went.

 

More can be read here:

 

http://www.chinavoc.com/festivals/qingming.htm

 

 

Cool site. Thanks!

 

Tomorrow in China is Qingming festival .Qingming festival also call Tomb-Sweeping Day.

The time of qingming always have rain,in my city almost raining last week.Weather forecast tomorrow still rain.

[credzba]

Tomorrow in China is Qingming festival .Qingming festival also call Tomb-Sweeping Day.

The time of qingming always have rain,in my city almost raining last week.Weather forecast tomorrow still rain.

 

I think this is an interesting comment.

In America, the majority of people are Christian, and most of the people I work with will say "Good Friday" (the day Jesus Christ is supposed to have died) is always rainy.

 

It may be true the world is "always rainy" on days people perceive as having to do with the death of dear people in their lives, but it seems a little unlikely.

I think people tend to remember the rainy days associated with those dreary mental days, but I bet if you really checked the weather tables, the day has the normal probability for rain based on the area, and the time of year.

 

It is also interesting that Good Friday, and QingMing are in the same general time of season. Perhaps the date was set based on the higher probability of dreary weather?

[david_dawei]

Tomorrow in China is Qingming festival .Qingming festival also call Tomb-Sweeping Day.

The time of qingming always have rain,in my city almost raining last week.Weather forecast tomorrow still rain.

 

I think this is an interesting comment.

In America, the majority of people are Christian, and most of the people I work with will say "Good Friday" (the day Jesus Christ is supposed to have died) is always rainy.

 

It may be true the world is "always rainy" on days people perceive as having to do with the death of dear people in their lives, but it seems a little unlikely.

I think people tend to remember the rainy days associated with those dreary mental days, but I bet if you really checked the weather tables, the day has the normal probability for rain based on the area, and the time of year.

 

It is also interesting that Good Friday, and QingMing are in the same general time of season. Perhaps the date was set based on the higher probability of dreary weather?

Qingming, as the 5th seasonal marker for the farmer is the time of rising temperatures and increased rainfall; optimal time for planting... so yes, not just coincidental.

 

here is one reference I found on the dating origin of Good Friday:

http://www.faithclipart.com/guide/Christia...gnificance.html

As early as the first century, the Church set aside every Friday as a special day of prayer and fasting. It was not until the fourth century, however, that the Church began observing the Friday before Easter as the day associated with the crucifixion of Christ. First called Holy or Great Friday by the Greek Church, the name "Good Friday" was adopted by the Roman Church around the sixth or seventh century.