The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day (清明節, qīng míng jié), is an important festival in China when people offer sacrifices to their ancestors (祭祖, jì zǔ). It falls on April 4 this year.

In ancient times, the festival prompted poets to compose about their grief regarding the lingering cold in spring and emotional moments while mourning the deceased (哀悼逝者, āi dào shì zhě).

Here are some famous lines from poems in the Tang and Song Dynasties (618-1279) remembering the day. The English translations used in this article are from noted Chinese translator Xu Yuanchong (許淵沖, xǔ yuān chōng).

The Mourning Day

The Mourning Day, written by famed Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu (803-852), is one of the most well-known poems relating to the Qingming Festival. It reads:

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;

The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.

Where can a wine shop be found to drown his sad hours?

A cowherd points to a cot 'mid apricot flowers.

qīng míng
清明

táng · dù mù
唐·杜牧

qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn,
清明時節雨紛紛，
lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún。
路上行人欲斷魂。
jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu,
借問酒家何處有，
mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūn。
牧童遙指杏花村。

來源：chinadaily.com.cn
編輯：萬月英