A Poem about Qingming Festival 清明(唐诗)

The Qingming Festival (traditional Chinese: 清明節; simplified Chinese: 清明节; pinyin: Qīngmí ngjié), which means clear and bright in Chinese, falls on April 4th this year. It is both  a festival to hold memorial ceremonies for the dead (view the image), it is also a day to celebrate the coming of  spring, often by going out for a picnic. With the coming of spring, nature wakes up, dressing the world in green. All is new, clean and fresh. Therefore, Qingming Festival is also a time to plant trees, for the survival rate of saplings is high and trees grow fast later. In the past, the Qingming Festival was called “Arbor Day” 植树节. But since 1979, “Arbor Day” was settled as March 12th.

Springtime, especially in North China, is the windy season, just right for flying kites. It is not surprising that kite flying is very popular during the Qingming Festival. The history of the kite in China is very interesting. It is said that the kite was invented by the famous legendary carpenter Lu Ban over 2,000 years ago.

ChineseHour today would like to teach you a famous poem about Qingming Festival., which every Chinese pupil can recite. The following is a poem written by 杜牧 (Du Mu), a great poet of Tang Dynasty. In the poem, the poet walking alone in the ceaseless spring drizzles in a strange place, feels all the more lonely, melancholy and dismayed. He is so troubled and disheartened that he is on the brink of breaking down. However, he won’t lie down under loneliness and distress. Stirring himself up, he hurries along to find a tavern for a drink so that he can mix with cheerful people and wine. So the carefree boy points to the apricot woods. The poem ends on a broad vision graced with freshness and delight.

清  明 Qing Ming

—杜  牧Du Mu ( Tang) —
qīngmíng  shíjié yǔ  fēnfēn
清    明     时 节   雨   纷 纷，
lù  shang  xíngrén yù duànhún
路    上     行  人    欲    断  魂。
jiè wèn jiǔjiā  héchù yǒu
借  问    酒 家  何 处  有，
mùtong yáo zhǐ xìnghuā cūn
牧  童    遥    指  杏   花  村。

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English translation:

The ceaseless drizzles drips all the dismal day,
So broken-hearted fares the traveler on the way.
When asked wher could be found a tavern bower,
A cowboy points to yonder village of the apricot flower.

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 Origin of Qingming Festival

The Qingming Festival (traditional Chinese: 清明節; simplified Chinese: 清明节; pinyin: Qīngmíngjié), which means clear and bright in Chinese, falls on April 5th this year. It is both the fifth term in the traditional lunar calendar and a festival to hold memorial ceremonies for the dead (view the image). It is a time to express one’s grief for lost relatives. An ancient elegiac poem described a grievous woman. It read that vines were tangled in vain and weeds crept in the graveyard, and her husband slept there lonely. It was so difficult for her to endure and her only wish was to reunite with him after death.

People often go to sweep and weed graves with the entire family and take a walks in the countryside. Therefore, in Tang Dynasty, the habit of taking an excursion on this day was developed. At this time, spring returns and dominates the earth again. The feel of growing life is in the air, with sap ascending in trees and buds bursting. The willow branches inserted on each gate add vigor and vitality to the surroundings, but it actually means more than that. This custom can be traced back to over one thousand years ago.

During the Period of spring and autumn in the Jin Kingdom, one of the King’s sons was called Chong Er. Jealous of his talent, a concubine falsely accused him of rebellion to make her son the crown prince. As a result, he had no choice but to flee with several officials. They hid themselves in a mountain and went hungry for quite some time. An official named Jie Zitui took great pain to cut some flesh from his thigh and cooked it for Chong Er. When the fact was known the young master was moved to tears and knelt down in gratitude. Jie replied his best repayment should be a just king. They lived a cold life of starvation for three years until the evil concubine died. Many soldiers were sent to look for him and to escort him back home.

Going into the carriage, he saw an official packed an old mat onto a horse, he said laughingly, ‘what on earth is the use of that? Throw it away!’ Jie Zitui heard it and sighed, ‘It is hardship that can be shared with his majesty but not prosperity.’ As a result, he went away quietly and lived in seclusion with his old mother.

As Chong Er became king, he rewarded many people but he forgot Jie Zitui. He did not realize it until he was reminded. However, his invitation was refused and he became angry. Soldiers were ordered to burn up the mountain to force Jie to come out. Finally they found Jie and his mother scorched under a willow. He would rather die than yield to power. Chong Er was so overwhelmed with regret that he ordered people to hold memorial ceremony for Jie. Therefore, in memory of Jie, every year on that day people mourned for him and ate cold meals the day before. Later the custom of inserting willow branches on gates was also added.