Ching Ming Festival
April 5, 2006

“Of all the virtues, filial piety comes first” has been a guiding principle in the teachings of Chinese family values. Thus, it is only befitting that at least one day in the Chinese lunar calendar is devoted to this purpose. In spring, 150 days after the Winter Solstice, we have the Ching Ming Festival, a day when descendants visit the burial grounds of their ancestors and families and clean up the tomb sites. Spring signifies renewal, and spring cleaning is extended to the “homes” of the dead as well.

During the Tang Dynasty, a decree in 732 A.D. made the festival an official holiday that lasted 7 days. The reason for this was that the ministers of the court came from all areas of China and needed at least that much time to travel back to their respective hometowns for this important family ritual, plus time to get back to work afterwards. Those who lived really too far for the trip would pay their respects by facing the directions of their hometowns as they offered incense and sacrifices at the altars at home.

Due to the long holiday, some people took it as a chance to go for excursions rather than just for remembering their departed ones, so much so that some Tang emperors had to decree that such acts were punishable by fines or physical chastisement. But things mellowed down as time passed, and by the time of the Ming Dynasty, Ching Ming had become a holiday that served both purposes.

The placing of willow sprigs on doorways was a traditional practice in the old days. This was done to prevent the entry of ghosts into the homes, and to ask for a better reincarnation after death. In those days, many believed that you could come back in your next life as an animal or something even worse if you did not live your present life in a proper manner. Willow was chosen because it had a strong reproductive rate as well as a long life. For a nation that was agricultural, this was a most welcomed symbol of growth. Ornaments made of softer willow twigs for personal wear followed the same ideas. It was also the practice to burn paper money for the use of the departed in the nether world.

Nowadays, Ching Ming is still observed wherever there are Chinese people, though many habits have been modified. Even if they do not take advantage of that particular day, as it is not an official holiday except in Chinese-governed territories, people usually will visit the grave sites at least once a year.

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