Qingming Festival in the third month of the lunar calendar…

(PLVN) - Lighting incense at the graves of the deceased is not only a way to remember loved ones who are no longer in this world, but also a way to reflect on the finiteness of human life…

For East Asians in general, and Vietnamese people in particular, the graves of their ancestors are extremely important. Everyone wishes for a peaceful and beautiful resting place, and there's a saying, "Life depends on the grave, not on a bowl of rice." People fear nothing more than disturbing the graves.

It is unclear when the custom of visiting graves during the Qingming Festival originated. Considering the literal meaning of the word, "Qing" means purification, purity, or cleanliness, while "Ming" means bright. Qingming refers to a clear and bright sky during this time. Qingming is one of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Eastern calendar, usually falling around April 4th or 5th, about half a month after the spring equinox.

In terms of weather, from the time of Thanh Minh (Qingming Festival) onwards, the drizzle and dampness in Northern Vietnam almost completely cease. The weather gradually transitions into summer, becoming clearer and more pleasant. Therefore, after a winter shrouded in frost, plants and trees sprout and grow vigorously at this time.

In the old days, almost all graves were located in the fields, mounds of earth, not solid brick and cement structures like today. During this time, family members and relatives would gather in the fields to "clean the graves," visiting all the graves of their ancestors. They would clear overgrown grass, fill in gaps in the soil, wash the tombstones, repaint the inscriptions, and light three incense sticks to show their remembrance.

"Visiting graves on Qingming Festival is one of the most sacred acts of reverence that the living can express to the dead. As we know, graves are respectfully preserved in Vietnam until the family line is completely wiped out. No one in the family has the right to move the graves, or even make minor repairs, without the agreement of the entire family," scholar Nguyen Van Huyen noted in a study.

"Of a hundred good deeds, filial piety comes first." In a spirit of profound filial devotion, people celebrate the Qingming Festival every year. By performing rituals and visiting the graves of the deceased, the living not only strengthen their bond with their loved ones, drawing closer to the dead, but also, with the thought that "death is like life, and disappearance is like existence," they feel as if their loved ones are still present somewhere.

And in the quiet moments amidst the incense smoke, amidst the graves, in contemplation, within an invisible thread, one not only remembers those who have "passed on to the other side," but also takes the opportunity to reflect on one's own life. The finite and fragile nature of human existence. Soon, one will be just like everyone else, merely a mound of earth "alone in this desolate world"...

“In the third month of the Qingming Festival, the ceremony is to visit graves, the gathering is to enjoy the spring scenery” – Nguyen Du wrote this in The Tale of Kieu. And Mr. Nguyen from Tien Dien village, who felt compassion for the fragile lives of human beings, wrote the “Eulogy for Ten Categories of Beings,” and thus felt compassion for the unmarked graves: “A small mound of earth by the roadside / The grass is mournful, half yellow, half green / Why, in the Qingming Festival, is there such a lack of incense smoke here?”

Most of the graves in the Quang Ba cemetery have subsided and have been neglected for a long time. (Photo: GH)

...By chance, during this year's Qingming Festival, I had the opportunity to visit a little-known cemetery right in the heart of Hanoi , in the prime real estate area near West Lake, located in Quang Ba ward. It's the cemetery of the Chinese community who once lived in Hanoi.

The cemetery has undergone many changes over time, and today, most of the graves are neglected, with many sinking and leveling. Even the tombstones are tilted, half-buried in the ground. The dense vegetation has created a problem, prompting the ward authorities to put up a sign stating, "Cemetery land, buying, selling, and transferring ownership is strictly prohibited."

On the occasion of the Qingming Festival, lighting an incense stick for the lonely souls and hoping for a "fair and reasonable" solution for the land is indeed a righteous act that should be done!

Giang Hoang

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/thanh-minh-trong-tiet-thang-ba-post544932.html