Traditional culture in plain words
Qingming (清明)
Qingming is the bright, clear season of fresh spring growth. It is also the great day for tending the family graves and remembering ancestors.
At a glance
What the solar terms mean
Qingming usually falls in early April. The name means 'clear and bright', describing a time of fresh air and flourishing plants. It is a solar term (節氣), one of the twenty-four points of the traditional farming year. It falls on 5 April in 2026, on 5 April in 2027, and on 4 April in 2028.
Qingming is both a solar term and a festival of remembrance. It is a day to honour ancestors and remember the family's roots. Qingming is a public holiday in many places, for example mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
Traditional customs in different places
Around Qingming, families visit ancestral graves together, a custom known as grave-sweeping (掃墓). They clear away the weeds, lay flowers and offerings, and bow in respect. Foods differ by region: in Taiwan, many people eat runbing (潤餅), a soft spring roll; in the Jiangnan area of eastern China, people enjoy qingtuan (青團), a green glutinous rice cake. After the visit, many families take a spring outing (踏青) in the countryside. Please take care with incense and fire in the dry hills.
See also Qingming (清明): the Tomb-Sweeping Festival
Solar terms belong to the traditional calendar and are shared for cultural reference. For weather, please follow the forecast from your local weather service.