“The Qingming Festival (traditional Chinese: 清明節; simplified Chinese: 清明节; pinyin: Qīngmíngjié, or Ching Ming Festival in Hong Kong, Vietnamese language: Tết Thanh Minh), meaning Clear and Bright Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival on the 104th day after the winter solstice (or the 15th day from the Spring Equinox), usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar (see Chinese calendar). Every leap year, Qing Ming is on April 5th.”
For 2003, 2007, 2011, Qingming is on April 5th (leap year every four years), but for 2001-2002, 2004-2006,2008-2010, it falls on April 4th. So this year 2009, we will have Qingming Festival on April 4th, the same for next year 2010.
“Qingming is a statutory public holiday in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. It has long been a public holiday in the latter three jurisdictions, but became a public holiday in mainland China in 2008 for the first time since 1949.”
Qingming was frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. Among these, the most famous one is probably Du Mu‘s poem (simply titled “Qingming”):
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | pinyin | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 清明時節雨紛紛 | 清明时节雨纷纷 | qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn | A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day; |
| 路上行人欲斷魂 | 路上行人欲断魂 | lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún | The mourner’s heart is breaking on his way. |
| 借問酒家何處有 | 借问酒家何处有 | jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu | Where can a winehouse be found to drown his sadness? |
| 牧童遙指杏花村 | 牧童遥指杏花村 | mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūn | A cowherd points to Almond Flower (Xing Hua) Village in the distance. |
(source from wikipedia)
Other English names of this festival: Tomb-sweeping Day (China mainland translation); Ching Ming (official in Hong Kong); Pure Brightness
(For other Chinese festivals and holidays, check out the Chinese Lunar Calender for 2009 )
【唐】杜牧
清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有？牧童遥指杏花村。
作者简介：杜牧（公元803－约852年）唐代诗人。
You can play or down the mp3 for this famous Tang peom in Cantonese and Mandarin here: