It is said that the Qingming Festival was originally held to commemorate Jie Zitui, a loyal man who lived during the Spring and Autumn Period. Jie cut a piece of meat from his own leg in order to save his hungry lord who was forced to flee from his own country. 

Later, when the lord regained his position, he forgot about Jie Zitui’s sacrifice. However, after being reminded, he felt ashamed and decided to reward the loyal man, but Jie had hidden in a mountain with his mother. In order to find Jie, the lord ordered that the mountain be set on fire. 

Unfortunately, Jie was found dead with his mother. In order to commemorate the day of his death, the lord declared the date to be Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival — the day that only cold food can be eaten.

A year later, when the lord went to the mountain to commemorate Jie’s death, he found the burned willows had revived, so he gave instructions that the day after Hanshi Festival was to be Qingming Festival. Eventually, the two festivals were combined into one.

相传清明节最初是为了纪念春秋时期（公元前770-476年）的一位忠臣，介子推。晋国公子重耳被迫逃亡齐国。因咽不下野菜，介子推就从自己的腿上切下一块肉做成汤，说是麻雀汤让重耳吃下。重耳在秦国的帮助下，回到了晋国，平定了叛乱并当上国君，这就是历史上有名的晋文公。跟随他出逃的人都得到了封赏，而晋文公唯独忘了介子推。晋文公意识到自己的错误时，介子推和母亲已经隐居在山上，并拒绝出山。为了找到介子推，晋文公又中了奸臣计策下令放火烧山，想逼出孝子介子推。火灭时却发现介子推和母亲一起被烧死。为了纪念他，晋文公下令忌日百姓不得焚火煮饭，只吃寒食，这一天就是寒食节。

第二年忌日次日，晋文公上山祭祀介子推，发现介子推死前抱着的柳树又复活了起来，于是他下令寒食节的次日为清明节。后来，这两个节日合而为一。


清明节相关的英语词汇

Cold Food Festival    寒食节

Day of sacrifice    祭祀节日

Condolence    哀悼之情

Hell note/Joss paper    纸钱

Mourning ceremony    哀悼仪式

Offer sacrifices to ancestors    祭祖/上供

Funeral supplies/products    殡葬用品

Funeral services    殡葬服务业

Mortician    殡仪业者

Burn incense    焚香

Tomb-sweeping    扫墓

Tomb sweeper    扫墓的人

Monument       纪念碑

Online funeral     网上葬礼

Online tribute    网上悼念

National mourning    全国哀悼

National mourning day    全国哀悼日

Willow branches inserted on each gate  门旁插柳

Filial piety 孝顺；孝心