The Qingming Fedstival

The Qingming Fedstival normally falls on April 4 each year in China. It is actually our ancestor worship festival. Since the families go outing and commemorate their ancestors on this traditional day, therefore it can be called Chinese Memorial Day as well. On that day in my hometown, people bring tools of a spade, shovel, hoe, sickle, and motor mowers as well as other oblation to the graveyard of ancestors. We mow down all the grasses and shrubs around the tomb, put a new soil clod and stick with paper on top of the grave, light up the  joss sticks and candles, lay out the food in the front of the tombstone, burn papers, worship and say something to the ancestor. Finally we shoot off the firecrackers and leave.