What is special about April 5, 2022? It is the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day this year. To begin with, It’s one of the major holidays in countries with large Chinese ethnics makeup. The spring blossoms are perfect for outdoor activities. So Chinese families go to where their ancestors and loved ones are buried or the urns are kept to pay respects. They may take a relaxed family field trip, tell stories about grandparents and great grandparents or family history to their children.
Among all these Qingming festival activities, tomb-sweeping is no doubt a must if applicable. People pull out the excessive grass or weeds at the cemeteries, place fresh flowers and fruits, sometimes burn some incense. These actions are to show their loved ones in another world that they are still being remembered, as well as to ensure they still “live” well over there. Chinese also practice this custom to show young generations how to remember their ancestors.
清明時節慎終追遠
美國人總説春天適合清潔整理(spring cleaning)，在中華文化中，現在也正是出門祭祖或掃墓的清明節。今年的清明節落在4月5日，Spring break 學校放假，您是不是和家人一起出門踏青，或者在清明時分營造一個分享傳統文化的機會呢？雖然在美國不一定能或者需要掃墓，不過講講清明節的故事、詩詞、掃墓做些什麽例如除草、獻上花果等等，也是很好的文化傳承。
中西文化都有族譜或family tree的觀念，以表示我們“慎終追遠”，不忘祖先和文化上的根。我們相信，無論落在什麽土壤上，根在，便能健康成長。