清明節（Tomb-Sweeping Day

清明節（Tomb-Sweeping Day） 1、Qing Ming Jie（All Souls' Day） Qing Ming is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed. More imnt, it is a period to honour and to pay respect to one's deceased ancestors anily members. Because it reinforces the ethic of filial piety, Qing Ming is a majornese festival. Literally meaning "clear" (Qing) and "bright" (Ming), this Chinese festival falls rly spring, on the 106th day after the winter solstice . It is a "spring" festival, ans an occasion for the whole family to leave the home and to sweep the gravesheir forebears. Chinese being practical people this sweeping of the graves is gin extended period, that is, 10 days before and after Qing Ming day. ​​Among soalect groups a whole month is allocated.
清明節是一個紀念祖先的節日。主要的紀念儀式是掃墓，掃墓是慎終追遠、郭親睦行孝的具體表現；基於上述意義，清明節因此成為華人的重要節日。清明節是在仲春和之交，也就是冬至後的106天。掃墓活動通常是在清明節的前十天或後十天。有些地域士的掃墓活動長達一個月。
 ORIGIN（起源） Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zi Zhui, who lived in Shanxi provin 600 BC Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a pif his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small princiy, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitationerring to lead a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains. Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord order  s men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain wherwas and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in y home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit. The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often consides part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replace "cold food" festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qi ng is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, s or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time shoe spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributof their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zi Zhui who choose death over capitulat
談到清明節，有點歷史知識的人，都會聯想到歷史人物介子椎。據歷史記載，在兩年以前的春秋時代，晉國公子重耳逃亡在外，生活艱苦，跟隨他的介子椎不惜從自己的割下一塊肉讓他充飢。後來，重耳回到晉國，作了國君（即晉文公，春秋五霸之一），封賞所有跟隨他流亡在外的隨從，惟獨介子椎拒絕接受封賞，他帶了母親隱居綿山。晉文公無計可施，只好放火燒山，他想，介子椎孝順母親，一定會帶著老母出來。這場大火卻把介子椎母子燒死了。為了紀念介子椎，晉文公下令每年的這一天，禁止生家家戶戶只能吃生冷的食物，這就是寒食節的來源。寒食節是在清明節的前一天，古人常把寒食節的活動延續到清明，久而久之，清明了寒食節。拜介子椎的習俗也變成了清明掃墓的習俗了。無論以何種形式紀念，為了使祖先的儀式更有意義，我們應該讓年輕一代的家庭成員了解先人過去的奮鬥歷史，當然要學習介子椎寧死不屈的氣節。 2、清明節風俗 1） 掃墓
            清明時節祭掃祖墳（俗稱"上墳"）。無錫的傳統民俗較有代表性。掃墓時要挑些新墳塋，而且凡新墳一定要在清明前祭掃，舊墳可以過清明．但不能過立夏。新媳婦一定祭掃祖墳，俗稱"上花墳"。掃墓時用葷、素菜餚和酒、飯等祭奠。後用乾果糕點等替代至今日，在烈士陵園緬懷革命先烈成為清明節裡很重要的內容，在祭炎黃二祖、悼念自先祖的同時，緬懷先烈的豐功偉績，使今天的清明活動具有了更重要的教育意義。 2） 踏青清明時節，氣候溫暖​​​​和煦，大地皆春，處處鮮花嫩草，一片生機盎然，人們紛紛外青。在無錫，踏青的最好場所莫過於惠山。不上惠山的，上城牆繞城而走，叫登高踏青門東林庵一帶，為士女聚集處，故有"東林庵里看桃花"的說法。這天，也是東鄉膠山和北山的節場，附近還有賽會，故斗山別名清明山。人們都上山踏青，趕節場，觀看賽會。宵節至清明節，大人孩子，三五成群，到野外放鳳箏，別有情趣。 3） 門旁插柳和戴柳枝帽清明節那天，有家家門口插柳條的風俗。在一些地區，還流行小孩帶柳枝帽的風門旁插柳和戴柳枝帽習俗的來源也是根據介子椎的傳說。據說，介子椎是死在柳樹下面介子椎死後的第二年晉文公率領群臣到綿山致祭，一行人先在山下寒食一日，第二天才那棵柳樹，已經長出了翠綠的嫩條。晉文公看了，心中忽有所感，便走上前去，掐了一編成一個圈兒帶在頭上。隨從的臣下看了,也紛紛仿效他折柳插頭。晉文公便把這棵柳樹為清明柳，把這一天定為清明節。 3、清明與節氣清明節即是節氣又是節日。從節氣上來說，它是24節氣之一。