[Explanation] Indifferent spring light and cold weather, the jade furnace sinks into the water and smokes.
Tomb-sweeping Day, one of the twenty-four solar terms, is approaching. On the eve of Tomb-sweeping Day, there is actually another traditional festival that has been gradually forgotten, but has also been passed down for thousands of years.
How did the Cold Food Festival first originate?
Why is it so close to Qingming Festival?
Expert Tang Zhiqiang told reporters that during the Tang Dynasty, Hanshi and Qingming had seven consecutive holidays.
The Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival were originally two different concepts.
Cold food is a festival, Qingming is a solar term.
There are several different theories about the origin of cold food. One of the most popular legends is that it was changed to fire.
[Concurrent] Tang Zhiqiang, Secretary General of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Protection and Inheritance Alliance
In terms of time, 105 days after the winter solstice, this day is designated as the Cold Food Festival.
One source is the custom of changing fire. We believe that fire is alive and that fire will metabolize. The Book of Rites records that every season should be changed to extinguish the old fire and rekindle the new fire.
When I arrived in Qin, I thought it was too complicated, and it was too troublesome to change it every season, and then it was changed once in the spring.
In the process of changing the fire, the fire cannot be lit for a few days, and it must be cold food.
(Another) Jie Zitui's story has already appeared in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Because of the commemoration of Jie Zitui, the official also hoped to guide him, and another commoner also respected this kind of virtue.
Let the Hanshi Festival become a deeper cultural core and have a spiritual power.
[Explanation] Obviously different from the Cold Food Festival, the Qingming Festival contains more meanings of the change of seasons.
It symbolizes the arrival of spring, the renewal of all things, and the clarity of everything.
The connection between Cold Food and Qingming represents "rebirth".
[Concurrent] Tang Zhiqiang, Secretary General of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Protection and Inheritance Alliance
Cold food is to extinguish the fire, and Qingming is to start the fire.
One sacrifices death, the other sacrifices rebirth.
Qingming means rebirth, which represents vitality and vitality.
Therefore, we are in the process of worshipping our ancestors. Our sacrifices do not mean that it is a kind of sadness, or that the pain is in the midst of complete sadness. We Chinese regard death as life.
[Explanation] In the development of later generations, in addition to eating cold food, the Cold Food Festival has gradually increased the customs such as sacrificial sweeps and outings.
Tang Zhiqiang introduced that during the Tang Dynasty, Hanshi and Qingming had seven consecutive days off.
During this period, many recreational activities will also take place.
[Concurrent] Tang Zhiqiang, Secretary General of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Protection and Inheritance Alliance
During long vacations, these officials belong to the sages, and they all come to greet and send or have some social activities. The next generation of children should approach him first and learn from him, thus forming a local culture. Phenomenon.
Another is the custom of flying kites, writing unpleasant things and plans on the kite, and then flying it.
For example, there is a swing at the back, such as tug-of-war and kicking Cuju are all placed here.
[Explanation] Because the time is relatively close, the customs are relatively the same.
In the later development, the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival were gradually integrated and forgotten.
[Concurrent] Tang Zhiqiang, Secretary General of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Protection and Inheritance Alliance
For example, in some places such as Yushe and Yuanqu in Shanxi, large-scale activities like this are held every year to commemorate Jie Zitui. His spirit has inspired generations of Chinese people.
When we talk about the connotation of Qingming, we actually say that there are more Qingmings, and cold food is an important connotation of it. Of course, it is also merged with Shangsi, and this festival is also merged into Qingming.
As the festival itself, the festival is only a form, but the spirit should be carried forward and inherited.
Reporter Wang Shibo reports from Beijing
Responsible editor: [Li Ji]