第1个回答 2024-04-15
The origin story of Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is deeply rooted in Chinese history. It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, a loyal subject named Jie Zitui saved the life of Duke Wen of Jin, who was later known as the Duke of Jin, by offering a piece of his own thigh meat when the duke was starving and exhausted. Jie Zitui's selfless act was one of great sacrifice and loyalty.
Years later, Duke Wen ascended the throne and wanted to reward all the ministers who had aided him in his exile. However, Jie Zitui, humble and unselfish, did not seek recognition or reward. He preferred a life of seclusion and went to live in the mountains.
Duke Wen, upon hearing that Jie Zitui had shunned the rewards, felt deeply ashamed. He decided to seek out Jie Zitui himself, but the latter had already left for Mianshan Mountain, a place known for its inaccessibility and dense forests. Despite attempts to smoke him out by setting the mountain ablaze, Jie Zitui's fate remained a mystery. After the fire had subsided, it was discovered that Jie Zitui, carrying his elderly mother, had perished under an old willow tree.
The Duke, moved to tears, buried Jie Zitui with great honors. In the hollow of the willow tree, they found a bloodied scroll with the words, "I offer my flesh to the king; may the lord be ever clear." In memory of Jie Zitui's great sacrifice, Duke Wen decreed that the day after the Cold Food Festival would be known as Qingming Festival. The following year, as Duke Wen ascended Mianshan Mountain to pay his respects, he noticed that the old willow had died but miraculously sprouted again. He named this willow the "Qingming Willow" and decreed that the day after the Cold Food Festival would be celebrated as Qingming Festival, a day of tomb-sweeping and honoring ancestors.
The Qingming Festival is not only a time for mourning but also a time for enjoying springtime and the beauty of nature. It is a day of balance between sorrow and joy, reflection and renewal. The festival is observed by the majority Han Chinese community and also by 24 other minority groups in China, each with its own unique customs and traditions, all centered around the themes of tomb-sweeping and appreciating the springtime outdoors.