Qingming solar term - Clear and Bright
Spring is finally coming into its own, the earth is covered with fresh greenery, the air becomes incredibly clean and transparent, freely allowing the warm rays of the spring sun to pass through. The ancient books say: “At this time, the growth of all things occurs, everything around is clear and bright, that’s why it is called Clear and Bright.” During this period the weather becomes warmer; plants and trees begin to grow; everything is bright and clear; The winds of this time blow from the southeast. Everything grows in the southeast and the sun is beautiful.
Qingming Solar term (清明 Clear and Bright) is the fifth of the 24 seasons of the Chinese calendar, it begins on April 4-5, its start coincides with the beginning of the Dragon month. The Qingming solar term lasts until about April 20, giving way at this time to the Guyu - the Grain Rain solar term.
CLIMATE
During the fifth solar term of the Chinese agricultural calendar, the weather is already warm, the earth is covered with fresh green (and the hieroglyph qing means young, green), nature blossoms, and the season of “rains irrigating the grains” begins, the air becomes incredibly clean and transparent, free lets in the warm rays of the spring sun. Everything that exists in nature is born and develops. The ancient books say: “At this time, the growth of all things occurs, everything around is clear and bright.”
TRADITIONS
Qingming Festival, meaning “Clear Brightness Festival”, is a traditional Chinese festival of remembrance of the dead. On this day, the Chinese remember their ancestors and visit their graves, which is why people call it the “Tomb-Sweeping Day.” When visiting the graves of their ancestors, the Chinese tidy up the tombstones, remove weeds and debris from around them, decorate the graves with tender young green willow branches, lay flowers, light candles and smoking sticks, incense, burn “sacrificial money” from paper or some paper resembling other valuables. in the hope that the deceased will not lack anything. Nowadays, flowers are used instead. The holiday serves as an expression of respect for ancestors, helps maintain connections between generations, learn lessons from the past and draw wisdom from it to create the future.
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The Qingming season is also a time to celebrate the arrival of spring. People enjoy going on picnics or going on walks. Usually a family trip is planned to visit the graves, and then enjoy the onset of spring and breathe in the fresh spring air. Therefore, this day has other names: “The Festival of Walking on the First Grass”, “The Search for Spring”. People go out into nature to enjoy the onset of spring and the warm sun.
Another tradition is to plant fruit trees. The Qingming Festival is the most suitable period for planting young seedlings.
In ancient times, willows were planted on these days, which are considered a symbol of the connection between the living and their ancestors. In addition, planting willow is seen as a way to prevent all sorts of misfortunes. In ancient times, there was a folk custom of breaking willow branches, carrying them on the head and hanging them at the door.
During country walks on the Qingming holiday, it is customary to fly kites, which symbolizes “scaring away” evil spirits.
The custom of swinging on a swing is also common. It is known that during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), swinging on swings was popular at the court of the emperor, where lovers of this activity were called “half-immortals”, as they either soared into the heavens or fell down.
In the south of China, the symbol of Qing Ming became the sweet green Tsingtuan balls, which are made from glutinous rice with various fillings, the most common filling being beans. The green color is obtained by adding mashed fresh wormwood leaves to the dough.
HEALTH
With the arrival of warm weather, yang energy begins to predominate in the body. This is a good time to accumulate energy for the whole year. Excess energy also needs to be removed through simple physical exercises.
Spring is associated with the element Wood, liver, anger, and the color green. In spring, it is extremely important to maintain the free circulation of liver qi, since this stagnation can lead to hyperactivity of liver yang, and according to traditional Chinese medicine, these are the main causes of arterial hypertension.
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Maintaining free circulation of liver Qi is facilitated by staying in the fresh air, sufficient physical activity, contact with green plants, avoiding anger and irritability, an internal state of harmony, and the ability to enjoy life.
DIET
In the diet, it is recommended to switch to lighter foods.
It is recommended to eat more bitter foods (if there are no contraindications) to calm the liver and reduce internal heat. Moreover, as the air temperature rises, the masculine Yang power will increase, so it is better to drink tea more often, flavored with chrysanthemum flower petals, which plays a significant role in cleansing the liver of heat, improving vision, and improving the functioning of the channels.
