Festive Linyi: Qingming

Children wear willow branches to experience customs and traditions of the Clear and Bright period, namely Qingming, in Tancheng County, Linyi City, east China's Shandong Province.

​Qingming is not only one of China's24 solar terms, but also an occasion for Chinese people to honor lost family members.The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Clear and Bright (Chinese: 清明), the 5th solar term, starts this year on Apr 4 and ends on Apr 18.

The solar term Qingming is observed in early April when the temperature begins to rise and rainfall increases. It is also the right time for spring cultivation and sowing. At the same time, Chinese people will visit tombs of their ancestors around Qingming to pay respect to the deceased. Most families will go to cemeteries with offerings, clean up weeds around the tombs and pray for family prosperity.