“纪念与新生” ——漫谈清明文化（四）

Since China is a vast country with different climates from north to South, the exact date of the Tomb-Sweeping Day also varies from place to place, from the second day of lunar February to the third day of lunar March. The Tomb-Sweeping Day in Taiwan falls on the 105th day counting from the winter solstice in the previous year. And the Tomb-Sweeping Day is celebrated among Zhangzhouese of Fujian in Taiwan on the third day of lunar March. The customs of Taiwanese having Tomb-Sweeping Day are similar to those of Fujianese in the South part of Fujian. The time for Taiwanese Hakkas to worship their ancestors begins from after the Lantern Festival. The dates are set by each family until the Clear and Bright.

过去的台湾农村，每当扫完墓之后，都会有一群孩子前来讨粿类，来的人愈多，表示这一家族日后将愈发达，主人们也都乐意分送“发粿”或金钱给那些孩子们。

后因台湾墓地减少而实行骨灰塔，不少人把骨灰盒放置骨灰塔上，每到清明则到骨灰塔去祭拜，也同样起祭拜祖先的作用。由于人们观念的逐步改变，祭扫祖墓的仪式也省略了许多。

In the past, in the rural areas of Taiwan, there had been always a group of children coming to ask for sacrificial offerings after the tomb sweeping was over. The more children came, the more developed the family would become in the future, and the owners were also happy to distribute "sacrificial offerings" or money to those children.

Because of the reduction of the cemetery in Taiwan, and the implementation of funeral system as the ash tower, on which people placed the cremains box. Each time they went to the ash tower to worship, that also played a role in worshipping the ancestors. Due to the gradual change in people's ideas, the ritual of worshiping the ancestors’ tombs was also simplified a lot.

Traditional sacrificial offerings

纸钱、“金元宝”、菊花、香烛等为清明传统祭品。

Joss paper, "shoe-shaped gold ingot", chrysanthemum, joss sticks and candles, etc. are listed as traditional sacrificial offerings for the Clear and Bright.

旧时北京清明祭祖的主要形式是“烧包袱”。所谓“包袱”，是被祭祀者当作从阳世寄往“阴间”的邮包。过去南纸店有卖所谓的“包袱皮”，即用白纸糊的一个大口袋。这口袋有两种样式：一种是有图案的，用木刻版印上梵文音译的《往生咒》，中间印莲座牌位，写上亡人的名讳，如“已故张府君讳云山老大人”字样。另一种是素包袱皮，不印任何图案，中间只贴一张蓝签，写上亡人名讳。

In the old days, the main form custom of in Beijing was "burning baggage" on the Clear and Bright. The so-called "baggage" was regarded as a parcel sent by the worshipers from the current world to the "the nether world." In the past, the so-called "wrapping paper" was sold in the area of Nanzhidian, which was a large bag made from white paper. There are two kinds of the bag: one is patterned, which was printed buddhist song from a woodcut plate with the Sanskrit transliteration, and in the very middle the Rosette memorial tablet was printed, and the name of the deceased is written on the tablet, such as the characters of "The late Zhang Yunshan from Zhang’s family". The other has no pattern on the wrapping paper, with only a blue label pasted in the middle, filling in the name of the dead.

包袱里装有各种冥钱。所供奉祭品主要是食品，品种各地不同，都是当地人认为的并且按祭祀者的经济能力能拿得出来的美味佳肴，或合于时令的特色食品。

The bag contains all kinds of joss paper. The offerings are mainly food. The varieties vary from place to place. They are delicious dishes or special food that meets the times that the locals think that the worshipers can afford to.

Traditional food

蒿饼

Artemisia

清明节要吃青的食物。农村中有蒸制蒿饼的习俗。蒿饼类似江南的青团，制法是：“采新蒿嫩芽和糯米同舂，使蒿汁与米粉融和成一体，以肉、蔬菜、豆沙、枣泥等作馅，纳于各种花式的木模之中，用新芦叶垫底入笼蒸熟。”蒿饼颜色翠绿且带有植物清香，它是清明祭祖的食品之一，也用来馈赠或款待亲友。此外，清明淮扬还有吃茶叶蛋的习俗。

The food that people need to eat or offer on the Clear and Bright. In the countryside, there is the custom of steaming Artemisia. Artemisia is similar to sweet green rice ball in the South, whose making way is: "to put new Artemisia buds and glutinous rice together in the pestle, and husk them for some time so that artemisinin juice and rice flour are integrated into each other to make it into dough, and then shape it into a long strip, and cut it into smaller pieces, with each wrapping meat, vegetables, red bean paste, jujube paste, etc. as fillings and then put each into wooden mould to form a different kinds of beautiful flowers, and then take out to steam with new reed leaves as base in a steamer." Artemisia is green in color and has natural plant fragrance. It is one of the food used on the Clear and Bright, either as offerings or as gifts to entertain relatives and friends. In addition, there is a custom of eating tea eggs on the Clear and Bright in the area of Huaiyang.

青团

Sweet Green Rice Ball

清明时节，江南一带有吃青团子的风俗习惯。青团子是用一种名叫“浆麦草”的野生植物捣烂后挤压出汁，接着取用这种汁同晾干后的水磨纯糯米粉拌匀揉和，然后开始制作团子。团子的馅心是用细腻的糖豆沙制成，在包馅时，另放入一小块糖猪油。团坯制好后，将它们入笼蒸熟，出笼时用毛刷将熟菜油均匀地刷在团子的表面，这便大功告成了。青团子油绿如玉，糯韧绵软，清香扑鼻，吃起来甜而不腻，肥而不腴。青团子还是江南一带人用来祭祀祖先必备食品，正因为如此，青团子在江南一带的民间食俗中显得格外重要。

During the season of Clear and Bright, in the South area people have the custom of eating sweet green rice ball. The sweet green rice ball is made by crushing a wild plant called "wheat straw", squeezing out the juice and mixing with pure glutinous rice flour to make them into a big dough. Then break it into smaller ones, with each stuffed with red bean paste and a piece of sugar and lard. And then steam them in a steamer. After finished steaming, paint oil on the surface of each. And then they can be served. The sweet green rice ball are green like jade, sticky and soft, smelling of natural plant fragrance, sweet but not greasy. Sweet green rice ball is also used by people in the South area as sacrificial offerings. Because of this, sweet green rice ball looks particularly important in the folk in the South area.

馓子

Fried dough twist

中国南北各地清明节有吃馓子的食俗。“馓子”为一油炸食品，

香脆精美，古时叫“寒具”。寒食节禁火寒食的风俗在我国大部分地区已不流行，但与这个节日有关的馓子却深受世人的喜爱。现在流行于汉族地区的馓子有南北方的差异：北方馓子大方洒脱，以麦面为主料；南方馓子精巧细致，多以米面为主料。在少数民族地区，馓子的品种繁多，风味各异，尤以维吾尔族、东乡族和纳西族以及宁夏回族的馓子最为有名。

During the season of Clear and Bright, in northern and southern part of China people have the custom of eating fried dough twist. "fried dough twist" is a kind of fried food, crispy and exquisite. It was called "cold Ware" in ancient times. The custom of banning fire and cold food is no longer popular in most parts of China, but fried dough twist related with the festival is very popular with the world. Fried dough twist now popular in the area of Han nationality has some differences between the North and the South. Fried dough twist in the North is bigger, with wheat as the main ingredient; while it is exquisite, with rice as the main material. In ethnic minority areas, there are many varieties of fried dough twists and, each has different flavors, Fried dough twist is popular with people especially made by groups in the Uygur nationality, Dongxiang nationality, Naxi nationality and Hui nationality in Ningxia.

清明螺

Clear and Bright Snail

清明时节，正是采食螺蛳的最佳时令，因这个时节螺蛳还未繁殖，最为丰满、肥美，故有“清明螺，抵只鹅”之说。螺蛳食法颇多，可与葱、姜、酱油、料酒、白糖同炒；也可煮熟挑出螺肉，可拌、可醉、可糟、可炝，无不适宜。若食法得当，真可称得上“一味螺蛳千般趣，美味佳酿均不及”了。

During the season of Clear and Bright, it is the best time for eating snails. Because during this season, snails have not yet bred, and they are the most plump and delicious. Therefore, there is a saying that "Snails at the Clear and Bright have the same nutrition with a goose". There are many ways to eat snails, which can be fried with onions, ginger, soy sauce, cooking wine, and sugar. They can also be boiled, with snail meat taking out and mixing with the ingredients above, They could also be boiled, soaked in the wine, lightly cooked, matured, can be bad, can be, all suitable. If the cooking method is correct, it can be called "snails have a thousand of flavors, no delicious food could be more than".

艾粄(bǎn)

Rice wrapped with Chinese mugwort;

客家人有句老话，叫“清明前后吃艾粄，一年四季不生病”。艾粄是清明节客家人必备的传统小食。首先是将采摘回来的鲜嫩艾草洗净，放锅中煮熟后捞起，沥干水份，煮艾草的水要保留备用。然后将煮熟的艾草剁成草泥，草泥剁得越细越烂越好。艾草泥剁好后，用煮艾草的水，加上糯米粉一齐和拌成团。然后把准备好的芝麻、眉豆、花生等馅料包进面团里，再封口捏成圆形、长形等形状，放入锅中隔水蒸15-20分钟后即可出炉。

The Hakka people have an old saying, "Eat Aiban During the season of Clear and Bright, and will not get sick all year round." Aiban is a traditional snack for the Hakkas on the Tomb-Sweeping Day. The first is to clean the fresh Chinese mugwort that has been picked back, boil it in a pot till it is cooked, and then take it out of the pot, drain the water. And Chinese mugwort is chopped into paste, mixed with glutinous rice flour, together with the drained water to make them into a dough. Then wrap the prepared sesame seeds, red beans, peanuts and other fillings into the dough, and then shape it into a around, long shape or other shapes, and steam it in the steamer for 15-20 minutes. Then it can be served.

暖菇包

Steamed Nuangu Stuffed Bun

暖菇包是泰宁的传统特色小吃。暖菇原料学名鼠曲草，又叫佛耳草，当地人称为暖菇草。每年清明前夕，田间地头长满鼠曲草，毛茸茸、鲜嫩嫩的，正是采摘的好时节，也是制作暖菇包的好季节。在泰宁，制作暖菇包南北片有些差异。南片制作，用的是新鲜采摘的暖菇草原料，形似圆月，类似包子;北片的用暖菇粉制作，形似弯月，更像水饺。南片的一般在清明前夕吃，图的是新鲜口味，不讲太多规矩。

The Steamed Nuangu Stuffed Bun is a traditional snack in Taining. The raw material of Nuangu is affine cudweed, also known as Gnaphalium affine, and the locals call Nuangu grass. On the eve of the Clear and Bright each year, the field is covered with affine cudweed, green and fresh. It is a good season for picking and a good season for making Steamed Nuangu Stuffed Bun. In Taining, there are some differences in the production of Steamed Nuangu Stuffed Bun between the south part and north one. In the south part of Taining, people use freshly picked Nuangu as raw materials, and shape them into a bun like a full moon. In the south part, people use Nuangu powder as raw materials, and shape them into a Jiaozi like a crescent moon. People in the southern part generally eat the bun before the eve of the Clear and Bright only to pursue its fresh taste without paying attention to too many rules.

鸡蛋

egg

民间习俗认为，清明节吃个鸡蛋，一整年都有好身体。清明节吃鸡蛋其源起是先秦时代某些地区有禁火习俗，多日的禁火寒食，煮熟的鸡蛋是度过这一时期的最好的食品储备。清明节这天鸡蛋除了吃，还可以玩，大致分为两种，一种是“画蛋”，另一种则是“雕蛋”。画的五颜六色鸡蛋可以吃;而“雕蛋”则仅供玩赏。

Folk customs believe that eating an egg on Tomb-Sweeping Day will be healthy throughout the year. The origin of eating eggs on the Tomb-Sweeping Day was the practice of fire prohibition in some areas in the pre-Qin period. Fire was banned for many days. Hence cooked eggs became the best food reserve for this period. On the Tomb-Sweeping Day, Eggs in addition to being eating, they can also be played. There are roughly two types of playing, one is "to paint", and the other is "to carve". The painted colorful eggs can be eaten, while the "carved eggs" is only appreciation for fun.

子推馍

Zitui Mo

“子推馍”，又称老馍馍，类似古代武将的头盔，重约250—500克。里面包鸡蛋或红枣，上面有顶子。顶子四周贴面花。面花是面塑的小馍，形状有燕、虫、蛇、兔或文房四宝。圆形的“子推馍”是专给男人们享用的。已婚妇女吃条形的“梭子馍”，未婚姑娘则吃“抓髻馍”。孩子们有燕、蛇、兔、虎等面花。“大老虎”专给男孩子吃，也最受他们喜欢。

"Zitui Mo", also known as Lao Momo, is similar to the helmet of an ancient military commander, and it weighs about 250-500 grams. It is stuffed with eggs or dates with a top. Around which dough pattern is pasted. Dough pattern is a small dough, shaped into swallows, insects, snakes, rabbits or the four precious articles of the writing table. The around "Zitui Mo" is only for men to enjoy. Married women eat a strip of "shuttle bun", unmarried women eat stripped "scratch Mo". Children have the patterns of swallows, snakes, rabbits, tigers. The "big Tiger" is reserved for only for boys, and is also the most popular among them.

薄饼

thin pancake

厦门民谚有云“清明吃薄饼”，意思是清明节一家人在扫墓后要聚在一起包薄饼吃。如今，闽南多数地方还保留这样的风俗习惯。老厦门人卷薄饼时，一般喜欢在薄饼皮里放点酥了油的海苔、油煎的蛋丝，或抹一点辣酱等，卷后趁热吃更有滋味。其中所包的各种蔬菜，预示着将使农苗兴旺、六畜茁壮，有的地区还认为吃了包卷芹菜、韭菜的薄饼，会使人们更勤(芹)劳，生命更长久(韭)，家业更兴旺。

A Xiamenese proverb says, “It is the time to eat thin pancakes at the Clear and Bright”, which means that the family will gather together to make thin pancakes to eat after sweeping the tomb at the Clear and Bright. Today, such custom remains in most parts of Southern Fujian. When it is served, the local Xiamenese prefer to put fried sea sedge, sliced fried egg, sometimes with a little spicy sauce on the top of the pancake and wrape them in a long roll, they generally it is served hot. like to put the pancakes. The various vegetables wrapped in it promise that the seedlings will flourish and the six animals will thrive. In some areas, it is also believed that eating pancakes wrapped in celery and leeks will make people work more often(celery) and live longer(<UNK>). Family industry is more prosperous.

大葱和蛋饼

Onion and omelet.

清明节，青岛许多人家都要吃大葱和蛋饼，寓意聪明伶俐，这个习俗一直延续至今。此外，旧时青岛地区有的人家还要捏面花，称作“蒸小燕”，吃白面小鸡和鸡蛋。寓意小燕子来了，真正的春天到来了。清明这天早晨全家人一定要吃鸡蛋和白面小鸡，心明眼亮不得病，很多学生要带鸡蛋给老师以表敬仰。

On Tomb-Sweeping Day, many people in Qingdao want to eat onions and egg cakes, which means that they are smart and clever. This custom has continued to this day. In addition, in the old days, some people in the Qingdao area also had to pinch noodles, called "steamed small swallows," and eat white-faced chickens and eggs. Meaning Swallow is coming, the real spring is coming. Qingming this morning, the whole family must eat eggs and white-faced chickens, bright eyes and no illness, many students will bring eggs to the teacher to admire.

朴籽粿

Pu Ding Mo

制作朴籽粿，首先将朴籽树叶和果实(核)捣烂，与大米舂成粉末，然后发酵再配糖，最后再用陶模型蒸或梅花模型蒸熟而成。一般朴籽粿有梅花型和桃型两种，也有叫碗酵桃的。蒸熟的朴籽为草绿色，个个咧开嘴大笑，总是给人春天很美好的感觉。粿品呈浅绿色，味甚甘甜，据说吃了还可解积热，除疾病。

In the production of Pu Ding Mo, first smash the leaves and fruits(with cores) of Pu Ding Tree, and pound rice in a mortar into powder, and put the above together and give it time till it is fermented, and then mix with sugar, and put it into a pottery mold shaped-like plum blossom, and finally steam it in a steamer. In general, there are two kinds of shapes, one is plum blossoms and the other is peach. Steamed Pu Ding Mo is grass green, with each dehiscing, it gives a good sense of spring. The custard is light green and sweet. It is said that it can also cure some diseases.

芥菜饭

Mustard rice

清明时节，闽东各地无论城乡，大多有吃芥菜的食俗。据说每年二月二吃了用芥菜和大米混煮的“芥菜饭”可以终年不长疥疮。也有在三月三，煮泥鳅面祭祖送人习俗。

During the season of Clear and Bright, people in the most of the cities and towns in the east of Fujian have the custom of eating mustard. It is said that on 2nd of lunar February each year, if you have the "mustard rice" which is made of mixing minced mustard with rice, you can be well being all year round. On 3rd of lunar March, there was also a custom of cooking earthworm either to worship ancestors or to give neighbors as gift.

枣糕

Jujube paste

枣糕又叫“子推饼”，北方一些地方用酵糟发面，夹枣蒸食。他们还习惯将枣饼制成飞燕形，用柳条串起挂在门上，可以冷食，以纪念介子推不求名利的高尚品质。糕就是谷物类，谷物类加上枣，符合春季养生增甘的目的，可以增加脾的功能来限制一下肝气过分的往外张扬。

The jujube paste is also called "Zitui pancake", and in some parts of the North, it is made from fermented dough and dates, and then steamed and served. It is a habit for people to make it into into flying swallows, hanging on the door with each attached to a wicker, and can be eaten cold to commemorate the noble qualities of Jie Zitui. Paste is made from grains, if dates are added, in line with the purpose of spring health enhancement, which can increase the function of the spleen to limit the excessive outward spread of liver qi.

清明饭

Qingming rice

每逢清明节前夕，家家户户都要从野外采集各种供食用的青草药，用来制作清明饭。常用的草药有艾草、麻叶、鸡矢藤、清明菜(白公翁)、荠菜、枸杞叶等。将需用草药洗净、去梗、煮熟，拌在预先浸透滤*糯米(加适量大米)中，用碓皿番成饭团，添进红糖搓匀，制成饭块蒸熟即成。

On the eve of the Tomb-Sweeping Day, every household must collect a variety of green herbs for food from the wild to make a Qingming rice. The commonly used herbs are Mugwort, Hemp Leaf, Chicken Sagebrush, Qingming Vegetable (Baigong Weng), Shepherd's Buckwheat, Lycium barbarum Leaf and so on. Clean, remove stems, cook, mix in percolation dried glutinous rice(plus appropriate amount of rice), add brown sugar, use a mold to shape into rice balls, and then steamed and served.

子福

Zifu.

晋中一带还保留着清明前一日禁火的习惯。很多地方在完成祭祀仪式后，将祭祀食品分吃。晋南人过清明时，习惯用白面蒸大馍，中间夹有核桃、枣儿、豆子，外面盘成龙形，龙身中间扎一个鸡蛋，名为“子福”。要蒸一个很大的总“子福”，象征全家团圆幸福。上坟时，将总“子福”献给祖灵，扫墓完毕后全家分食之。

In the middle area of Shanxi, people still retain the habit of banning fire on the day before the Tomb-Sweeping Day. In many places, after the sacrificial ceremony, the sacrificial offerings will be eaten by each. People in the south part of Shanxi were accustomed to steaming large buns with white wheat flour, with walnuts, jujube, and beans in the middle, shape them into a dragon, and in the middle of the dragon body an egg is inserted, which is called "Zifu." Steaming a large "Zi Fu", symbolizes family reunion happiness. When going to the tomb sweeping, the "Zifu" is dedicated to the ancestral spirit. After the sweeping ceremony, the whole family will eat it.

菠菠粿

Artemisia bun

清明节前后，福州家家户户都要做菠菠粿，如今，街上“米时”粿店也大量出售菠菠粿。是用菠菠菜(生长于南方的一种野菜，可食，味甘，性凉，捣烂压成汁呈青绿色)压榨成汁，渗入米浆内揉成粿皮，以枣泥、豆沙、萝卜丝等为馅捏制而成的。造型比较简单，菠菠菜的青绿色赋予菠菠粿以春天的绿意。

Before and after the Tomb-Sweeping Day, every household in Fuzhou will make Artemisia bun. Today, the "Mi Shi" restaurant on the street also sells Artemisia bun. It is made of s Artemisia (a wild dish that grows in the South, edible, sweet, cool, crushed and pressed into juice, and green) and squeezed into juice. Add rice milk and made into small piece of wrapper. Put jujube, red bean paste, and radish as stuffing. The shape is relatively simple. Artemisia bun is green in color and shows green meaning of spring.

欢喜团

Happy Ball

四川成都一带有以炒米作团，用线穿之，或大或小，各色点染，名曰“欢喜团”。旧时，在成都北门外至“欢喜庵”一路摆卖。清人《绵城竹枝词》有诗云：“‘欢喜庵’前欢喜团，春郊买食百忧宽。村醪戏比金生丽，偏有多人醉脚盆。”

Happy Ball, which is popular with people in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. It is made from parched rice that are glued together into a ball with sugar and stringed with a piece of thread. Either large or small, white or colored one, it is called "happy ball." In the old days, it was sold all the way outside the North Gate of Chengdu throughout "Happy Temple". There is a poem named "Chengdu’s Bamboo description" by a poet of the Qing Dynasty: "In front of the ‘Happy Temple’ the happy balls are selling, in the spring at the suburbs If you buy one, a wide range of worries will dismiss."

乌稔饭

Wuren Rice

另外，关于清明食俗，不能不提到畲家的“乌稔饭”，因为闽东是畲族聚居地。每年三月初三，畲族人家家户户煮“乌稔饭”，并馈赠汉族的亲戚朋友，久而久之，当地的汉族人民也有了清明时食“乌稔饭”的习俗。特别是枯荣县民间，每年都须用“乌稔饭”祭祀，可见中国自古以来就是一个民族和睦相处的大家庭。

In addition, with regard to Qingming food customs, we can not avoid mentioning the "Wuren Rice" of the She Nationality. Because the East of Fujian is a settlement of the She Nationality. On the third day of lunar March each year, every household of the She Nationality cooked " Wuren Rice" and gave the Rice to the relatives and friends of the Han nationality. Over time, the local Han people also had the custom of eating " Wuren Rice" during the Qingming period. In particular, the people of Kurong County will use the " Wuren Rice" as sacrificial offerings every year. It can be seen that China has been a large family of ethnic groups living in harmony since ancient times.

润饼菜

Pancake dishes

每到清明时节，泉州人有吃“润饼菜”的风俗。据说，这是古时寒食节食俗之遗风。泉州的“润饼菜”是以面粉为原料擦制烘成薄皮，俗称“润饼”或“擦饼”，食时铺开饼皮，再卷胡萝卜丝、肉丝、蚵煎、芜荽等混锅菜肴，制食皆简单，吃起来甜润可口。

Every Clear and Bright season, people in Quanzhou have the custom of eating "Pancake dishes". It is said that this is the custom left by a preceding generation of food customs of ancient cold food festival. Quanzhou's "Pancake dishes" is made of flour as a raw material to make into thin pancake. When it is served, shredded carrots, sliced meat, fried oysters, coriander, are put on the top of pancake. It is simply cooked, and tastes delicious.

粽子

a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves

最初吃粽子不是端午，而是清明前一天的寒食。到现在，塘栖、长兴、吴江一带仍盛行清明吃粽子的风俗。如今粽子更是千品百种，璀灿纷呈。现今各地的粽子，一般都用箬壳包糯米，但内涵花色则根据各地特产和风俗而定，着名的有桂圆粽、肉粽、水晶粽、莲蓉粽、蜜饯粽、板栗粽、辣粽、酸菜粽、火腿粽、咸蛋粽等等。

It was not the Dragon Boat Festival but the cold food of the day before the Clear and Bright that pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves is served. Until now, the customs at the season of Clear and Bright eating dumplings are still prevalent in Tangqi, Changxing and Wujiang. Today, the dumplings are more numerous and varied. Nowadays, dumplings in various parts of the country are generally wrapped in glutinous rice, but the tastes are various based on local specialties and customs. Popular tastes are Laurel dumplings, meat dumplings, crystal dumplings, Lotus dumplings, candied oysters, chestnuts, spicy oysters, pickles, hams, salted eggs, and so on.

此外，中国南北各地在清明佳节时还有食鸡蛋、蛋糕、夹心饼、清明粽、馍糍、清明粑、干粥等多种多样富有营养食品的习俗。

In addition, there are customs of many having all kinds of nutritious foods such as eggs, cakes, sandwich cakes, clear rice dumplings, glutinous rice cakes, clear rice cakes, and dried porridge in various parts of China during the Tomb-Sweeping Day.

《清明上河图》局部

清明节是中华民族独特的、最重要的祭祀节日，是全球华人共同分享的记忆。这个节日有着悠久的历史，距今已有2500多年了。每逢清明节，我们都要尽可能到先辈的坟前祭奠扫墓，缅怀追思。清明还是二十四节气之一，天气回暖，万物复苏，是强身健体的大好时节。走出户外，踏青郊游，与大自然进行亲密接触，可以怡情悦性，陶冶身心。《清明上河图》就因生动描绘了清明时节的古代都市繁荣景象，而成为传世瑰宝。

The Tomb-Sweeping Day is a unique and most important festival for the Chinese nation. It is a memory shared by Chinese people all over the world. This festival has a long history, more than 2,500 years ago. Every Tomb-Sweeping Day, we must do our best to pay homage to the graves of our ancestors and remember them. Qingming is still one of the 24 solar terms. The weather is warmer and everything is recovering. It is a good time for physical fitness. Out of the outdoor, green outing, close contact with nature, you can be happy, edify the body and mind. The "Qingming Shanghe Map" has become a treasure of the world because it vividly depicts the prosperity of ancient cities in the Qingming period.

清明从节气变为节日是和中国古代三月上旬的另两个祭祀性节日，上巳和寒食密不可分的。清明节文化内涵是前两个节日文化的累积。上巳节和寒食节的若干民俗事象也就构成了清明节的民俗内容。因此,我们可以用两句话概括清明节:清明节是中国的复活节,清明节是中国的感恩节。清明节是中华民族创造的非物质文化遗产,在日常生活和生产中具有重要的作用。作为一种文化群体性的文化符号,它承载着丰富的文化内涵,对家庭和民族具有强大的凝聚作用。

The change of Qingming from solar terms to festivals is inseparable from the other two sacrificial festivals in ancient China in early March. The cultural connotation of Tomb-Sweeping Day is the accumulation of the first two festival cultures. Some folk customs of the Shangyu Festival and the Cold Food Festival also constitute the folk content of the Tomb-Sweeping Day. Therefore, we can summarize the Tomb-Sweeping Day in two sentences: Tomb-Sweeping Day is China's Easter, Tomb-Sweeping Day is China's Thanksgiving Day. The Tomb-Sweeping Day is an intangible cultural heritage created by the Chinese nation and plays an important role in daily life and production. As a cultural symbol of cultural group, it bears rich cultural connotation and has a strong cohesive effect on family and nation.

长达两千多年的传承和积淀，我们已经形成了内涵独特的清明文化。清明文化蕴含着对故园桑梓的认同，对祖先、前贤的感恩怀念，慎终追远，是孝文化的重要组成部分。同时，清明文化内涵随着时代而不断丰富，逐渐扩展到尊重民族历史和文化，珍惜民族团结，促进社会和谐，维护国家统一启迪和教育后人的社会功能不断增强。在清明文化的浸润下，炎黄子孙从感恩和纪念中汲取营养，继承先辈的遗志，自强不息。

With more than two thousand years of inheritance and accumulation, we have formed a unique Qingming culture. The Qingming culture contains the recognition of the old garden Sangzi, the gratitude for the ancestors and the former sages, and the careful pursuit of the past. It is an important part of filial piety culture. At the same time, the cultural connotation of Qingming has been constantly enriched with the times, gradually expanding to respect national history and culture, cherish ethnic Unity, promote social harmony, and maintain the national unity to enlighten and educate future generations. Under the infiltration of the Qingming culture, the descendants of Yanhuang took nutrition from gratitude and commemoration, inherited the legacy of their ancestors, and continued to improve themselves.

国务院明令从2008年起,清明节全国放假一天,其意义在于让世世代代不要忘记丢失这一珍贵的文化传统,有利于清明节这一非物质文化遗产的保护,有利于启迪和提高全民族的文化自觉。同时,这也是对生命、人和家庭的珍重,表明中国的精神文明建设扩大了新的视野。让国人认真过好清明节,热情地讴歌春天,拥抱自然;感恩自然,感恩父母,感恩先烈,为创造一个美好幸福的自然生态环境和人文环境而不懈努力奋斗。

Since 2008, the state council has ordered the Tomb-Sweeping Day to be a holiday for the whole country. Its significance is to let generations not forget to lose this precious cultural tradition. It is conducive to the protection of this intangible cultural heritage, and it is conducive to enlightening and improving the cultural consciousness of the entire nation. At the same time, this is also a treasure to life, people and family, indicating that the construction of Chinese spiritual civilization has expanded a new horizon. Let the people seriously enjoy a good Tomb-Sweeping Day, enthusiastically eulogize spring, embrace nature; Grateful nature, grateful parents, grateful martyrs, to create a beautiful and happy natural ecological environment and human environment and unremitting struggle.