Theqingmingfestivalcomesonceayearinspring.Becauseitisspringgrassgreen,apricotblossom,mymotherandIdecidedtogo"outing"。
MymotherandIwenttotheecologicalpark,andafterwearrivedattheecologicalpark,thebeautyofspringattractedusdeeply.WewalkedandenjoyedtheSpringFestival.
Thenanapricotblossomsofflowers,itledmetotheapricotflowersunderthetree,Ilookedupandhappenedtobeaapricotblossominthebreezeflutteredinmynose,aboveafewtreefullofflowers,thegroundunderthetree,withcountlessapricotflowers,flowersherebecameaseaofflowers,Ipickedupinyourhandstheapricotflowersonthefloor,apricotblossomlikethewhitebutterfliesflyingdown.
Therewasaspringbreeze,andIwasblowntothelowshrubsthathadjustsprouted,andthebusheshadbeenprunedbythegardener,somelikelittletowers,somelikecuboids,andallshapesandshapes.
Ilookedupatthedistance,andtheskywasfullofdifferentkites,somelikeparachutes;Somearelikebutterflies;Somelikethephoenix.OfcourseIdidn'twanttofallbehind.Iquicklytookoutmykiteandflewit,andthekiteflewsmoothlyintothebluesky,flyinghigherandhigher.
Mykiteisthehighestflying,theyalllookatmeandmykitewithenviouseyes.Allofasudden,thewinddroppedtheirkite,andmykiteflewhighinthesky,andIenjoyedthefeelingofpride.
ItwasthehappiesttimeIwasborn.
ThetombsweepingdayisoneofthetraditionalfestivalsinChina.OnApril5th,peoplestarttovisittheirancestors’tombs.Generallyspeaking,peoplewillbringthehome-madefood,somefakemoneyandpaper-mademansiontotheirancestors.Whentheystarttohonourtheirancestor,theywilllightupsomecandlesandincense,putsomeflowersaroundthetombs.Themostimportantthingistoputthehome-madefoodinfrontofthetombs.Thefood,alsoknownassacrifices,isusuallymadeupwithachicken,afishandsomepork.It’sasymboloftheoffspring’srespecttotheancestors.Peoplebelievethattheforbearswillsharethefoodwiththem.Thechildrendedicatethefoodandmoneytotheirforbearsinordertoshowtheirloveandcaring.Theyoungoffspringwillgodownontheirkneesandprayfortheirancestors.Theycansaytheirwishesinfrontofthetombsandtheancestorswillmaketheirdreamscometrue.
InsomeprovincesofChina,peopleusedifferentactivitiestocommemoratethisday,forinstance,spring-outing,swinging,treeplantingandmakingspecialfood.OnespecialfoodisAyTsaoriceballs.ItlookslikeTang-yuan,butitscolourisgreen.Mixtheaytsaojuicewiththericepowder,thenmakeitintosmallballs.TheAyTsaoriceballisdone.Peoplebelievethateatingaytsaoriceballscangetridofthebadluckandeverythingwillgosmoothly.Otheractivitiessuchasspringouting,treeplantingaretheotherwaystocommemoratetheforbears.Foronething,itisasignthatpeopleshouldlookintothefutureandembracethehope;foranotherthing,wedohopeourancestorrestinpeace.
TodayisthetraditionalQingmingFestival.Ourfamilyreturnedhometoworshiptheirancestors.Itwasdrizzledalltheway,andtheroadwasrough.Atlast,Iwenttomyhometown.Thepeopleinmyhometownhavecookedfoodforus.Afterthemeal,everyonewenttotheancestor.
Onthewaytoancestorworship,weallhadofferings,someofthemholdingincense,candlesandfirecrackers,andotherscarryingagreasysucklingpig.I'mafraidthereisasnakeinthegrass,soItookapieceofbamboo,readytoactrashlyandalerttheenemy.
Everyoneintheworship,someintheburnedofferings;someintheweed;instilllitfirecrackers.Thesoundoffirecrackersechoedinthemountains,outofthesmokelikeathicklayersofmist.
Afterthesacrifice,wewenthome,andIpassedameaningfulQingmingFestival.
LastQingmingFestival,Ireturnhometoworshipmygrandfather.QingmingFestivalisafolkFestival.Inthepast,Inthepast,theQingmingFestivalwascalled"ArborDay"。ButToday,Chinesevisittheirfamilygravestotendtoanyunderbrushthathasgrown.Weedsarepulled,anddirtsweptaway,andthefamilywillsetoutofferingsoffoodandspiritmoney.Unlikethesacrificesatafamily'shomealtar,theofferingsatthetombusuallyconsistofdry,blandfood.Onetheoryisthatsinceanynumberofghostsromearoundagravearea,thelessappealingfoodwillbeconsumedbytheancestors,andnotbeplunderedbystrangers.
Withthepassingoftime,thiscelebrationoflifebecameadaytothehonorpastancestors.Followingfolkreligion,theChinesebelievedthatthespiritsofdeceasedancestorslookedafterthefamily.Sacrificesoffoodandspiritmoneycouldkeepthemhappy,andthefamilywouldprosperthroughgoodharvestsandmorechildren.