Qingming, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is both a solar term and a festival. As a solar term, it marks a time of clear skies and gentle rains—perfect for planting and renewal. As a festival, it carries the weight of remembrance.
Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn period, a loyal subject named Jie Zitui once cut flesh from his own thigh to save his starving lord. Later, refusing reward, he retreated into the mountains. The lord, eager to find him, set fire to the woods—only to tragically lose him. In grief, he declared the day as "Cold Food Festival," later merged with Qingming, as a reminder to govern with clarity and integrity.
Qingming invites us to honor the past while embracing the present. In mourning, we find gratitude; in spring, we witness renewal. Life, like the seasons, brings change and loss—but also growth and hope. May we walk forward with a clear heart, mindful of where we come from, and open to the light ahead.