What are the origins and legends of Tomb-Sweeping Day?

The origin of Tomb-Sweeping Day can be traced back to the "tomb sacrifice" ceremony of ancient emperors and generals. Later, people followed suit, and it became a fixed custom of the Chinese nation to worship ancestors and sweep graves on this day. Tomb-Sweeping Day was originally just the name of a solar term. Tomb-Sweeping Day is one of the 24 solar terms in the Ganzhi calendar, which has become a festival to commemorate ancestors and is related to the Cold Food Festival. Cold Food Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day were originally two different festivals. In the Tang Dynasty, it was designated as the Cold Food Festival. There is another legend in Tomb-Sweeping Day. It is said that in the Spring and Autumn Period, Jin Xiangong's favorite Li Ji wanted her son Xi to succeed him, so she planned to murder Prince Shen Sheng. After the death of Prince Shen Sheng, Zhong Er, his younger brother, returned to the State of Jin after 19 years in exile and killed Huaigong. After Jin Wengong became a monarch, it was natural to reward the officials who followed him in exile, but Jin Wengong forgot to cook soup for him during his exile. When Jietui was sweeping the grave in Tomb-Sweeping Day, he poured dew on the grass in his palm and sprinkled it gently on the tombstone in order not to disturb the soul of Prince Shen Sheng. This is Tomb-Sweeping Day's grave-sweeping.

Tomb-Sweeping Day is a traditional festival in China.

Tomb-Sweeping Day, also known as outing festival, outing festival, March festival, ancestor worship festival, etc. It was celebrated at the turn of mid-spring and late spring. Tomb-Sweeping Day, which originated from the ancestor belief of early human beings, is the biggest ancestor worship festival of the Chinese nation. Tomb-Sweeping Day has two connotations of nature and humanity, which are both natural solar terms and traditional festivals. Grave-sweeping and hiking are two major themes of Tomb-Sweeping Day's customs and habits, which have been circulating in China since ancient times and have never stopped.