Every year 104 days after the winter solstice or 15 days after the Spring Equinox – usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar – there is a festival called “Qingming jie”. Its literally translation means “bright light”.
A common English translation is “Tomb Sweeping Festival”. This name gives us an idea what the festival is for: Qingming Festival is an activity of the Chinese people to commemorate their ancestors by cleaning their graves and holding memorial ceremonies to pay respect to them and to conciliate their souls.
The best way to do this is after cleaning the grave mound by removing weeds and sweeping away old leaves to offer some food and beverage – of course strong alcohol, to burn some money – of course not real money and to burn firecrackers – of course the more the better – to drive evil spirits away.
To do something special for the wellbeing and amusement of the souls of their ancestors people also burn small models of things making life on earth comfortable.When the souls are happy they don’t harass their descendants and both can enjoy the nice day.
And in general it is a nice day.
Now we are back to the literally meaning of “Qingming”: The day corresponds with the beginning of the warmer weather and the beginning of plowing. So Qingming is not only a day of remembrance; it is also a day to celebrate the coming of spring.
That’s why the people have picnics with their relatives, or go in to the mountain or fly kites on that day.
So some places in and around Guilin are very busy and crowded like in the pictures of the graveyards near “Yaoshan” – Mount Yao – the highest mountain here.
And the mountain itself is dressed in myriads of azalea flowers.