The Qingming Festival is a good time to feel the breath of spring. The goddess used this mysterious water and branch to scare away demons.Īccording to historical records, there is an old saying: ‘Put willow branches up on gates drive ghosts away from houses.’ Spring Outings and Kite Flying Traditional pictures of the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin often show her seated on a rock with a willow branch in a vase of water at her side. That willows are considered magical is mainly a Buddhist influence. People believe that this custom will ward off wandering evil spirits during Qingming. Do not participate in others' grave sweeping as it will bring bad luck.ĭuring the Qingming Festival, some people wear soft willow branches and place the branches on gates and front doors.Don’t visit friends and relatives on Tomb Sweeping Day as it is a special day for commemorating the departed.Don’t eat or laugh loudly when performing the rituals, as this is considered disrespectful.
The right order is as follows: renovate the tomb, offer incense and sacrifices, toast the deceased, and finally kowtow or bow in worship. Don't wear clothes with bright colors or skimpy clothes.Don't sweep tombs after 3pm as it is believed to be inauspicious.Don’t take photos in cemeteries (or in other tomb areas), as this is considered disrespectful and a bringer of bad luck.Suggested Reading: Auspicious Time for China's Tomb Sweeping Things Not to Do When Tomb Sweeping With different times observed regionally, ethnically, and even locally to do tomb sweeping in China, the custom mainly happens sometime during the 10 days before or after the day of Qingming Festival. However, the custom has been greatly simplified today, especially in cities, where many people only place flowers to remember their dead relatives. Because of their busy work and being far from their family homes, many young people now cannot conduct tomb sweeping in person, and online tomb-sweeping ceremonies now take place in many cities. They pray before their ancestors' graves and beseech them to bless their families. They might plant willow branches, flowers, or plastic plants on the tombs. They sweep the tombs, remove weeds, and add fresh soil to the graves. People commemorate and show respect to their ancestors by visiting their graves, and offering their spirits food, tea or wine, burning incense, burning or offering joss paper (representing money), etc.
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