It's Qingming Festival again. Around the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Qingming became a festival centered on ancestor worship and tomb sweeping, blending the Cold Food Festival tradition with other activities like the Double Third Festival spring picnic and kite flying.
Wearing a willow twig as a head accessory was also a custom of ancient people during the Qingming Festival. Apart from folding willows, there is also the tradition of flying kites during Qingming. Ancient people believed that the wind during this time of year was suitable for kite flying. Nowadays, cities like Weifang and Wuhan hold kite festivals every april, where thousands of kite enthusiasts gather to celebrate this grand event that began in the Tang Dynasty.
In addition, ancient people would start cockfighting from Qingming and continue Summer Solstice, but why did they choose this time? It was because people discovered that wild chickens mate and hatch eggs during this period, and the roosters would fight each other to find a mate. Domesticated roosters also exhibit fierce behavior during this time, making for an exciting spectacle when two roosters engage in a battle.
The “Zuo Zhuan” contains the earliest record of cockfighting in China, and by the Tang Dynasty, it had become a popular pastime enjoyed by people of all social classes and ages. Today, this tradition still exists in Kaifeng, Henan Province.
In biology, peafowl belongs to the same order as chickens, which also display courtship behavior such as displaying their feathers around the period of Qingming. Thus, it is also the best time to observe and appreciate the beauty of peafowl.
In ancient Chinese poetry, willow flowers often appear during Qingming, usually referring to willow catkins. However, the true identity of the willow catkins is the seed of the willow tree. During this period, one can see the coexistence of willow flowers and willow catkins. To appreciate the beauty of willows, one can visit “Orioles Singing in the Willows”, one of the ten famous scenes of West Lake.
Amidst the gentle spring breeze and swaying willows, april is the most beautiful time of all year! The pear blossom is fluttering in the wind, announcing the arrival of the Qingming Festival. This is the perfect time to go out of the city and seek spring. The pear blossoms are as white as snow, and those who love pear blossoms can add it to their itinerary.
There are also wisteria and peonies. Guyu, the last solar term in spring, is when wisteria and peonies bloom. Wisteria flowers are like tassels, contrasting well with the pink walls and black tiles in Jiangnan. As for peonies, the Luoyang Peony Festival starts in early april every year, followed by the blooming of Shao Yao (Chinese peony). They can be seen until summer.
In addition, there is a custom of drinking spring tea during the Guyu period, after which people can start eating mulberries, cherries, spring bamboo shoots, and broad beans. Cherries and spring bamboo shoots are in season around the time of Guyu, giving rise to the saying “Cherry and Bamboo Shoots Season” in ancient times.
Compared to other foods, spring bamboo shoots can be stored for a longer time. They can be stored in sand, sealed containers, frozen, or dehydrated. Even after the spring season has passed, they can still be used for frying, stewing, or boiling, and they taste delicious. Broad beans in april are also very delicious and ideal for making braised noodles.
What are your plans for april? Share with me in the comments section!