Today I celebrated Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping, day to pay homage to my Chinese ancestors. It is a day that highlights respect for elders and recognizes the duty and responsibilities of an individual.

The origin of this tradition is rooted in Chinese history and tells the story of a young prince forced to flee the palace. He wanders homelessly for 19 years and at his bleakest moment, collapsed to the floor in hunger and exhaustion. When a search for sustenance turns up empty, his loyal servant retreats into the woods and makes soup from his flesh to feed his master.

In time, the prince regains his strength and ascends to his rightful place on the thrown. In the dazzle of his new power, he neglects to reward his loyal servant until his officials remind him.  By this time, his servant has retreated deep into the mountains to tend to his old  mother.

Determined to thank his servant, the prince orders three sides of the mountain be set ablaze to force his servant into the open. The fires rages for 3 days and when the ashes settle, his loyal servant was found dead with his mother tied to his back.
 
Devastated, the prince ordered a temple be built in commemoration of his friend and promptly decreed that no fires be allowed for 3 days during a celebration, known as the Hanshi festival, when people are asked to eat their food cold.  

Qingming follows the next day when Chinese people visit their ancestor’s cemeteries to sweep the tombs and offer sacrifices of food, flowers, and other favorites of the deceased. They burn incense, Joss paper, and bow before the memorial in a mark of respect and filial piety.