Tomb-sweeping Day

Tomb-sweeping Day also called Qingming Jie (clear and bright) in Chinese, derives from the Zhou dynasty. On this day, people will go to the graves of their ancestors to express their respect. Most people from the same family tree will get together and prepare a sacrifice in front of the tombs. First, they will add soil and stones to the tomb which represents decorating the house for the ancestor, and then burn charm papers, firecrackers and candles to invite them to back for dinner. People believe the dead will receive a blessing in heaven by doing like that. On the other hand, people want to let others know that the deceased have descendants by sweeping the tombs. After that, they will get together again and have dinner. This festival can be seen as a gathering which is very good for solidarity in the whole family. Usually people will sit together and share the stories of their ancestors. People in Yangshuo treat this festival seriously. They grasp this opportunity not only to express respect for their ancestors, but also to educate the young people and children how to learn from their ancestors and to be a good person.