Three Pentads of Qingming

First pentad: Tung trees begin to flower

At this time, tung trees start to bloom. Pure white tung flowers open in the wind – flowers blossom and fade, marking the passage of years.

Second pentad: Field mice turn into quails

Field mice retreat to their burrows as the yang energy grows stronger, while quails that love yang energy begin to appear. The field mouse represents extreme yin, the quail extreme yang. “Field mice turn into quails” means that yin energy is hiding away while yang energy is becoming more abundant.

Third pentad: Rainbows begin to appear

Rainbows are born from the interaction of yin and yang. Pure yin or pure yang cannot produce a rainbow. When thin clouds let the sun shine through and sunlight pierces the shadows of rain, a rainbow appears.

Qingming Customs

Sacrifice

Du Mu wrote in a poem: “The rain falls thick and fast on Qingming day, / Travelers on the road are overwhelmed with grief.”

On this day, we sweep the tombs of our ancestors. It is a way to respect them and never forget their great contributions, and also a way to honor the past and express the deep sorrow of later generations.

Planting Willow Branches

A proverb says: “If you don’t wear willow on Qingming, a rosy face will soon turn hoary.”

In the eyes of the ancients, placing willow branches on doors kept evil spirits away. Therefore, wearing and planting willow branches at Qingming is mainly for warding off evil.

Tree Planting

“Around Qingming, plant melons and beans.”
At Qingming, people like to plant pine and cypress trees in front of tombs to express their longing, giving the departed a place to rest and the living a focus for their memories.

Eating Qingtuan

During Qingming, it is a custom in the Jiangnan region to eat qingtuan. These green rice balls are as green and glossy as jade, fragrant and fresh, sweet but not greasy.

END

Qingming: “All things are clean, pure, clear, and bright.” This is a season for doing many things: plucking willows and going on spring outings, flying kites and chasing after spring; brewing tea with spring water and indulging in poetry and wine; remembering the departed and honoring the past…

The very words “qing” (clear) and “ming” (bright) are themselves delightful. It is as if they want to give you clear and gentle winds, clear and bright waters, and fresh, clean rain. Then, steeped in these beautiful things, your eyes see more clearly, your heart understands more clearly, and at last you possess those rare, clear, and bright moments in life.

On Qingming, with the spirit of “clear and bright,” we wish you: a clear mind and a bright spirit, with a heart firmly set.