What Is Third Day of Ching Ming Festival?
The “Third Day of Ching Ming Festival” is primarily understood in the context of the public holiday schedule in mainland China, where the Ching Ming Festival (also known as Qingming Festival) is observed. While the traditional festival itself is a single day of observance, the Chinese government often designates a three-day public holiday period by adjusting weekend days to create a longer break. The ‘Third Day’ therefore refers to the conclusion of this extended period, rather than a distinct traditional observance or ritual day within the festival.
The Ching Ming Festival, which forms the core of this period, is a significant occasion dedicated to ancestor veneration and tomb sweeping. It is a time when families travel to visit and clean the gravesites of their ancestors, offering prayers, food, and burning incense or paper money. This practice reflects deep cultural values of filial piety and remembrance.
History and Origins of Ching Ming Festival
The Ching Ming Festival, from which the extended public holiday period derives its name, has a history spanning over 2,500 years. Its origins are deeply intertwined with the ancient Hanshi Festival (Cold Food Festival), which commemorated Jie Zitui, a loyal subject of Duke Wen of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. Legend states Jie Zitui refused to be rewarded and died in a mountain fire, leading the Duke to order a day of no cooking (cold food) in his honour.
Over time, the practices of the Cold Food Festival, including eating cold food and tomb sweeping, gradually merged with the solar term of Qingming. By the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), tomb sweeping on Qingming had become a firmly established custom across society. Emperor Xuanzong declared that tomb offerings could only be made once a year on Qingming, solidifying its importance as the primary day for ancestral veneration.
How Ching Ming Festival Is Celebrated
The Ching Ming Festival is celebrated with a range of traditions, primarily centred around paying respect to ancestors. While the ‘Third Day’ itself does not have unique observances, it typically represents the end of the period when these activities are undertaken or travel for such purposes concludes.
Tomb Sweeping and Ancestor Veneration
The most prominent tradition involves families visiting ancestral burial sites. Participants clean the tombs, pull weeds, and repaint inscriptions. They offer food, wine, tea, and burn incense and paper money (representing money, goods, or even modern conveniences like cars and phones) for the deceased to use in the afterlife. This act is a profound expression of filial piety and remembrance.
Spring Outings (Ta Qing)
Another key aspect of Ching Ming is “Ta Qing” (踏青), meaning “treading on green” or spring outing. As the festival marks the beginning of spring, families often take advantage of the milder weather to enjoy nature after their ancestral duties. This can involve hiking, picnicking, and flying kites. Kite flying is particularly popular, with many cutting the string to let the kite float away, symbolising the release of misfortune and disease.
Food and Other Customs
Traditional foods associated with Ching Ming include ‘qingtuan’ (青团) or green rice balls made from glutinous rice and mugwort or barley grass, which are often consumed cold. Other cold dishes and snacks are also common, reflecting the historical connection to the Cold Food Festival. In some regions, planting willow branches is a custom, believed to ward off evil spirits. Children may also wear willow wreaths or adorn gates with willow branches.
When Is Third Day of Ching Ming Festival?
The Ching Ming Festival, the central observance around which the “Third Day” is designated as part of a public holiday, is a solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar. It typically falls on the 104th day after the Winter Solstice, which corresponds to either 4th or 5th April in the Gregorian calendar. The exact date can shift slightly due to the intricacies of the solar calendar.
In mainland China, the Ching Ming Festival is a public holiday. To create a longer break, the government often shuffles weekend days, resulting in a three-day holiday period. For example, if Ching Ming falls on a Thursday, the holiday might extend from Thursday to Saturday, with Sunday then becoming a working day to compensate. The “Third Day of Ching Ming Festival” would then refer to the Saturday in this scenario, marking the final day of the government-granted holiday period rather than a specific traditional observance.
Third Day of Ching Ming Festival Key Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public Holiday Period (derived from Ching Ming Festival) |
| Date | Varies, typically 6th or 7th April (as the third day of a 3-day break following a 4th/5th April festival) |
| Countries | 1 (mainland China, as part of its extended public holiday schedule) |
| Also known as | End of Ching Ming Holiday |
| Calendar system | Gregorian (for the holiday period), but Ching Ming Festival is based on Chinese solar terms |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Third Day of Ching Ming Festival a separate traditional observance?
No, the "Third Day of Ching Ming Festival" is not a distinct traditional observance. It generally refers to the final day of the three-day public holiday period that often surrounds the singular Qingming Festival in mainland China, which is primarily observed on one specific day.
What is the main purpose of the Ching Ming Festival?
The main purpose of the Ching Ming Festival is ancestor veneration. This involves visiting ancestral tombs to clean them, offer food, drink, and incense, and pay respects to deceased family members, symbolising filial piety and continuity of family lineage.
How is the date of Ching Ming Festival determined?
The Ching Ming Festival is one of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. It falls on the 104th day after the Winter Solstice, or the 15th day after the Spring Equinox. This means it usually occurs on 4th or 5th April in the Gregorian calendar.