Qingming Cold Food: The thousand-year-old secret behind fireworks and cold food
In the warm days of the spring breeze, people often mention the customs of tomb sweeping and flower appreciation during the Qingming Festival, but few people delve into the cold food festival closely related to it. One is the carnival of spring, the other is the silence of cold food, Qingming and cold food, as if they are a pair of funny "twins" in the long river of history, which always makes people scratch their heads, but inadvertently arouses our curiosity.
The Cold Food Festival sounds a bit "cold". On this day, every household is required to ban fireworks and eat cold food, as if declaring war on spring. But you know what? There's a super interesting story behind it. According to legend, in ancient times, there was a minister named Jie Zitui, who chose to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests because he was dissatisfied with the government. And his move actually triggered a trend of "eating cold rice" for the whole people. In order to commemorate this "willful" minister, people set a cold food festival and remember him by eating cold food. I have to say that this is really a legendary story of a "foodie" who changed history!
Of course, the origins of the Winter Food Festival are much more than this version. Some people say that it originated from the ancient people's worship of fire, some people say that it is a commemoration of loyal ministers and righteous people, and some people say that it is actually an ancient custom of banning fire. But either way, it makes the festival mystical and fun. Imagine that in ancient times, people banned fireworks and ate cold food on this day, isn't it a bit like playing a big game of "survival challenge"?
Different from the "high cold" of the Cold Food Festival, the Qingming Festival is a lively and extraordinary festival. On this day, people have stepped out of their homes to sweep the tombs to worship their ancestors, go out to play, and enjoy the beauty of spring. If the Cold Food Festival is a "survival challenge", then the Qingming Festival is a "spring party" with the participation of the whole people. In this festival, people use flowers and paper money to express their thoughts on their ancestors, and celebrate the bloom of life with laughter and play.
So, why are these two seemingly "very different personalities" festivals closely connected? There is actually an interesting history hidden behind this. It is said that a long, long time ago, the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival were two separate festivals. However, due to their proximity in time and overlapping customs, people slowly began to celebrate them together. In this way, Qingming and Hanshi are like a pair of happy enemies, although their personalities are different, but they have different sparks in the collision with each other.
In the blend of Qingming and cold food, we can not only feel the deep feelings of the Chinese nation for the ancestors, but also experience people's awe and cherishing of life. These two festivals are like a mirror, reflecting the richness and profundity of our national culture.
In addition to the traditional customs of sweeping tombs to worship ancestors and eating cold food, there are many interesting stories and legends about Qingming and cold food. For example, some people say that on the day of the Winter Food Festival, if you see someone smoking from the chimney, it means that the family is not filial and angers the gods. As a result, every household will be extra careful on this day, for fear of "stepping on thunder" if they are not careful. It is also said that on the day of Qingming Festival, if you can find a plant called "Qingming grass", it will bring good luck and happiness. As a result, people have embarked on a journey to find grass, hoping to find their own luck.
These interesting stories and legends not only make the two festivals of Qingming and Hanshi more vivid and interesting, but also allow us to have a deeper understanding and inheritance of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation while celebrating the festival.
In addition to these folk tales, Qingming and cold food also carry a deeper cultural connotation and historical value. On the day of the Cold Food Festival, although every household prohibits smoking and eats cold food, people's hearts seem to be ignited with a warm flame. This is the remembrance of the ancestors, the respect for history, and the cherishing of the family bloodline. On the Qingming Festival, people express their awe and gratitude for life more directly. Sweeping the tomb and worshiping the ancestors is not only a remembrance of the ancestors, but also the inheritance and continuation of life.
With the changes of the times, the customs of Qingming and cold food are constantly evolving and developing. In addition to the traditional tomb sweeping and ancestor worship, the modern Qingming Festival also adds new forms of activities such as afforestation and environmental protection and public welfare. These new customs not only reflect people's attention to the ecological environment, but also show that the traditional culture of the Chinese nation keeps pace with the times.
At the same time, the Cold Food Festival has gradually evolved from a simple ban on smoking and eating cold food to a kind of inheritance and promotion of traditional culture. On this day, people will commemorate this ancient festival through various means, such as holding cultural activities and carrying out traditional handicraft production, so that more people can understand and understand the history and cultural connotation of the Cold Food Festival.
In addition, the two festivals of Qingming and Hanshi also carry the traditional virtues and spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation. They remind us to cherish life, be grateful to our ancestors, respect history, and inherit culture. These virtues and spiritual pursuits are the treasures of our nation and the driving force for us to move forward.
In this season of spring flowers, let's walk into the world of Qingming and cold food, and explore the thousand-year-old secrets hidden behind the festival. While celebrating the festival, let us have a deeper understanding and inheritance of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation, so that this precious cultural heritage will shine more brightly in the new era.
In general, the "twin" festival of Qingming and Hanshi, with its unique charm and value, has become an important part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. They not only let us feel the breadth and profundity of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation, but also allow us to have a deeper understanding and inheritance of this precious cultural heritage while celebrating the festival. In the days to come, let us continue to inherit and carry forward the spiritual connotation of Qingming and cold food, so that they will bloom with more brilliant brilliance in the new era.