Swinging

This is an ancient Chinese Qingming Festival custom. Swing means moving by holding on to the leather rope. It has a very ancient history. It was first called Qianqiu, but later was changed to Swing to avoid taboos. In ancient times, swings were mostly made of tree branches and tied with colorful ribbons. Later, it gradually developed into a swing with two ropes and pedals. Swinging can not only improve health, but also cultivate bravery. It is still loved by people, especially children.

Cuju

Ju is a ball made of leather and stuffed with hair. Cuju means kicking a ball with your feet. This is a game that people loved during the Qingming Festival in ancient times. According to legend, it was invented by the Yellow Emperor, and its original purpose was to train warriors. Playing polo is also part of the Dragon Boat Festival. Scene 1 of Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Polo is played by riding on a horse and holding a stick. It was called Juju in ancient times. There is a sentence in "Famous Capitals" written by Cao Zhi of the Three Kingdoms: "Strike the soil continuously". In Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty, there was a large stadium, and emperors such as Xuanzong and Jingzong were all fond of polo. The "Polo Picture" in the tomb of Prince Zhanghuai depicts the prosperity of polo in the Tang Dynasty: in the picture, more than 20 horses are galloping, their tails are tied up, and the player wears a scarf on his head, boots on his feet, and holds a ball. The sticks hit each other ball by ball. "Analysis of Jinzhi" records that the Liao Dynasty regarded polo as a traditional festival custom, and played polo on the Dragon Boat Festival and Double Ninth Festival. "History of the Jin Dynasty·Li Zhi" also records that the Jin people hit the ball on the Dragon Boat Festival. In the Song Dynasty, there was a "playing ball music" dance team. By the Ming Dynasty, polo was still popular. "Xu Wen Tong Kao Le Kao" records that Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty went to Dongyuan to hit balls and shoot willows several times. The long scroll "Xuanzong's Polo Pictures" in the Ming Dynasty shows the scene of Xuanzong enjoying polo. Wang Zhi, an official at that time, wrote a poem about watching basketball on the Dragon Boat Festival: "A thousand-gold horse with jade, a ball with seven treasures carved on it. Flying in the sky is startled by lightning, and the sky is full of stars. The fire page has achieved three victories, and the joy is the first." Qingyun followed Yi's footsteps and circled the east end of the hall. "There is also a mass horseback riding ceremony in front of Baiyun Temple in Beijing. Polo was also played around the Temple of Heaven in the Qing Dynasty, but it did not disappear until the middle of the Qing Dynasty. Recently, antique polo has appeared in Xi'an, making this ancient sport reappear in China after being extinct for many years.

Outing

Also called spring outing. In ancient times, it was called Tanchun, Xunchun, etc. On the Qingming Festival in April, spring returns to the earth, and the natural world presents a vibrant scene everywhere. It is a great time for outings. Chinese people have long maintained the habit of going outing during the Qingming Festival.

Tree planting

Planting trees during Qingming Festival. Before and after Qingming Festival, the spring sun shines and the spring rain falls. The saplings planted have a high survival rate and fast growth. Therefore, China has had the habit of planting trees during Qingming Festival since ancient times. Some people also call Qingming Festival "Arbor Day". The custom of planting trees has been passed down to this day. In 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress stipulated that March 12th every year would be China's Arbor Day. This is of great significance in mobilizing people of all ethnic groups across the country to actively carry out activities to green the motherland.

Kite flying

Kite flying is also a favorite activity during the Qingming Festival. During the Qingming Festival, people not only play during the day but also at night. At night, a string of small colorful lanterns are hung under the kite or on the wind-stabilizing wire, like twinkling stars, and are called "magic lanterns." In the past, some people would cut the strings after flying kites into the blue sky and let the breeze carry them to the ends of the earth. It is said that this can eliminate diseases and disasters and bring good luck to themselves.

Grave-sweeping

Sweeping tombs during the Qingming Festival is called "respecting the times" for ancestors. Its custom has a long history. "On the Scenery of the Imperial Capital" of the Ming Dynasty records: "On Qingming Day in the third month, men and women sweep tombs, carry bamboo poles, hang ingots on the backs of sedans and horses, and the streets are full of charm. People worship, pray, cry, and weed and add soil to the tomb. , burn ingots, and place paper money on the grave. If there is no paper money in sight, the grave will be lonely. After crying, you will go to the fragrant tree, sit in the garden, and get drunk. "In fact, tomb-sweeping existed before the Qin Dynasty. , but not necessarily during the Qingming Festival. Tomb-sweeping during the Qingming Festival was a matter after the Qin Dynasty. It did not become popular until the Tang Dynasty. "Qing Tong Li" says: "On the New Year's Day, during Cold Food and Frost's Descent Festivals, people pay homage to the tomb sweepers. During the period, they go to the tomb in plain clothes, equipped with wine and food and a tool for cutting grass and trees. They seal the trees and cut off the wattle grass, so it is called tomb sweeping." And it has been passed down to this day.

The Qingming Festival sweeping ceremony should be held in person at the tomb site. However, because each family’s economic and other conditions are different, the method of sweeping the memorial ceremony is also different. "Burning baggage" is the main form of paying homage to ancestors. The so-called "baggage", also known as "package", refers to the parcel sent by filial piety from the Yang world to the "underworld". In the past, Nanzhi Store sold the so-called "furoshiki", which was a large bag made of white paper.

There are two forms: one is to use a woodblock board to print the Sanskrit transliteration of the "Rebirth Mantra" around it, and print a rosette tablet in the middle to write the area code and the name of the deceased, such as: "The late Zhang Fujun said: The words "Sir Shan Lao" are both a mail package and a tablet. The other type is plain furoshiki, which does not have any pattern printed on it. It only has a blue label stuck in the middle and the name of the deceased can be written on it. Also used as main card. There are many types of ghost money in the baggage.

Inserting willows

It is said that the custom of inserting willows is also to commemorate the founder of agriculture, Shennong, who "taught the people how to farm". In some places, people put willow branches under the eaves during the Qingming Festival to predict the weather. There is an old proverb that goes, "When the willow branches are green, the rain will be misty; when the willow branches are dry, the sky will be sunny." During the Huang Chao Uprising, it was stipulated that "the Qingming Festival will last for a period of time, and Dai Liu will be the number." After the failure of the uprising, the custom of wearing willows was gradually eliminated, and only inserting willows remained popular. Willows have strong vitality. As the saying goes: "If you plant flowers intentionally, they will not bloom, but if you plant willows unintentionally, they will create shade." Willows will live when they are inserted into the soil. Wherever they are inserted, they will live wherever they are inserted. Willows will be inserted year after year, and they will become shade everywhere.

There is another saying about planting willows during the Qingming Festival: It turns out that the Chinese regard Qingming, half July and the first day of October as the three major ghost festivals, when hundreds of ghosts haunt them. In order to prevent the intrusion and persecution of ghosts, people plant willows and wear willows. Willow has the function of warding off evil spirits in people's minds. Influenced by Buddhism, people believe that willow can ward off ghosts, and are called "ghost-terrible trees." Avalokitesvara dips willow branches in water to save sentient beings. Jia Sixie of the Northern Wei Dynasty said in "Qi Min Yao Shu": "Putting willow branches on the door will prevent all ghosts from entering the house." Qingming is the Ghost Festival, and when willow branches sprout, people naturally plant willows to ward off evil spirits.

She willow

She willow is a game for practicing archery skills. According to records from the Ming Dynasty, pigeons were placed in gourds, and then the gourds were hung high on a willow tree. The gourds were shot with a bow, and the pigeons flew out. The victory was determined by the height at which the flying pigeons flew.

Cockfighting

Cockfighting was a popular game during Qingming Festival in ancient times. Cockfighting started from Qingming Festival and lasted until Summer Solstice. The earliest record of cockfighting in China can be found in "Zuo Zhuan". By the Tang Dynasty, cockfighting became popular, not only among private citizens, but even the emperor participated in cockfighting. For example, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty loved cockfighting the most.

Silkworm Flower Fair

Silkworm Flower Fair "Silkworm Flower Fair" is a unique folk culture in Silkworm Township. During the Qingming Festival in the past, people in Wutong, Wuzhen, Chongfu, Zhouquan, etc. This folk activity can be found everywhere. Among them, the Silkworm Flower Fair at Maming Temple in Zhouquan and Shuangmiao in Qingshi are the most exciting and grand. Maming Temple is located in the west of Zhouquan Town. It is known as the "King of Temples" in the local area. Every year, the Silkworm Flower Festival is crowded with people and has frequent activities, including welcoming the silkworm god, rocking the speed boat, Nao Tai Pavilion, worshiping incense stools, boxing, and dragon lanterns. There are more than ten activities such as climbing poles, singing operas and so on. Some of these activities are carried out on the shore, and most of them are carried out on the boat, which is very characteristic of a water town.