当清明节遇上英语读写课

英语报：悼念已故偶像

清明节与传统文化介绍

清明节与生态保护相结合

清明节与反诈骗

清明节作文—祭祖和节日文化反思

Last Qingming Festival, I returned home to worship my grandfather. Qingming Festival is a folk festival. In the past, the Qingming Festival was called "Arbor Day". Today, Chinese people visit their family graves to tend to any underbrush that has grown. Weeds are pulled, dirt is swept away, and the family will set out offerings of food and spirit money.

Unlike the sacrifices at a family's home altar, the offerings at the tomb usually consist of dry, bland food. One theory is that since any number of ghosts roam around the grave area, the less appealing food will be consumed by the ancestors, and not be plundered by strangers.

With the passing of time, this celebration of life became a day to honor past ancestors. Following folk religion, the Chinese believe that the spirits of deceased ancestors look after the family. Sacrifices of food and spirit money could keep them happy, and the family will prosper through good harvests and more children.

by 王春力

 [本文审校：Mo] 

In contrast to the sadness of the tomb sweepers, people also enjoy hope of Spring on this day. The Qingming Festival is a time when the sun shines brightly, the trees and grass become green and nature is again lively. Since ancient times, people have followed the custom of Spring outings. At this time, tourists are everywhere.

People love to fly kites during the Qingming Festival. Kite flying is actually not limited to the Qingming Festival. Its uniqueness lies in that people fly kites not during the day, but also at night. A string of little lanterns tied onto the kite or the thread look like shining stars, and therefore, are called "gods lanterns."

The Qingming Festival is also a time to plant trees, for the survival rate of saplings is high and trees grow fast later. In the past, the Qingming Festival was called "Arbor Day". But since 1979, "Arbor Day" was settled as March 12 according to the Gregorian calendar.

by 胡语桐
 [本文审校：Finn]

Death

It smells like the air of a graveyard after rain, filled with sorrow and the regrets of the dead for their lives.

It tastes like colorless and tasteless wine, plain and unnerving, making people cry for it.

It sounds like the helpless sound of a hospital’s rescue machine' ding ding 'tearing at people's fragile hearts. It feels like an unforeboding disaster, happening at every moment, taking away lives that are full of hopes.

It looks like the only thing that motivates the rest to keep struggling.

by 李瑞璇

 [本文审校：Finn]