Things to do during Qingming Festival

This year, Qingming Festival begins on April 4 and ends on April 19. Qingming Festival falls on Friday, April 4 (the 7th day of the 3rd lunar month).

Here are some things to do during Qingming Festival to show respect and preserve cultural traditions.

Visiting ancestors' graves

During the Qingming Festival, tomb-sweeping is an indispensable part. This is the time for family members to clean and care for their ancestors’ graves. They often bring incense, fresh flowers, and offerings to express their gratitude and respect for the deceased. Cleaning the graves not only shows respect but also helps maintain the cleanliness and solemnity of the ancestors’ resting place.

After cleaning, the family performs the Thanh Minh Festival ceremony at the grave. After completing the ceremony, wait for the incense to burn about 2/3, then perform the thanksgiving ceremony, burn votive papers and bring the fortune home to continue the rituals for the family gods and ancestors.

For those who live far away from home and cannot visit their ancestors' graves, they can perform the "vong tam" ceremony at home, expressing their sincerity and longing from afar through worship rituals. This helps to connect spiritually with their ancestors, despite the great distance.

Thanh minh ceremony

During the Thanh Minh Festival, families often prepare two offerings, one at home and one at the grave. This ceremony is an opportunity for descendants to express their filial piety and pray for their ancestors to rest in peace and for the family to be safe and prosperous.

The homeowner prepares a tray of offerings, including familiar dishes such as sticky rice, boiled chicken, banh chung, and fruits. Depending on each family, the offering tray can be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, but the most important thing is the homeowner's sincerity. Behind each incense stick, each dish on the tray contains sincerity and remembrance.

Clean the house, place of worship

Thanh minh is also an occasion to renew the living space and place of worship. Cleaning the house and the altar helps to clear negative energy, bringing brightness and luck to the family. The ancestral altar needs to be cleaned and arranged neatly to show respect and preserve fortune.

Spend time with family

Qingming Festival is an opportunity for family members to reunite and gather together. This is an occasion to chat, share stories, memories and connect emotionally between generations.

Plant a tree

Qingming Festival usually takes place in spring, an ideal time for tree planting. Families can choose a favorite tree that is suitable for the environment to plant in their home or public place. This activity not only contributes to environmental protection but also has the meaning of sustainable development for future generations.

According to Hai Duong Newspaper

https://baohaiduong.vn/nhung-viec-nen-lam-dip-tet-thanh-minh-408557.html

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/nhung-viec-nen-lam-dip-tet-thanh-minh-212090.html