Qingming Festival: Tomb-Sweeping Day in Honor of Ancestors

‘Be pure and bright,’ the loyal official advised the king

A section of the “Qing Court Version” of “Along the River During the Qingming Festival,” a handscroll dated 1736, by five artists from the Painting Academy and active at the Qing court: Chen Mei, Sun Hu, Jin Kun, Dai Hong, and Cheng Zhidao. Ink and color on silk, at the National Palace Museum Public Domain

Many Chinese will be visiting the tombs of their ancestors on April 5 to pay their respects, as the Qingming Festival, also called Pure Bright Day or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on that day this year.

Qingming is an important traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the 15th day after the spring equinox. It’s not only a day for honoring one’s ancestors but also a time to celebrate spring.