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Day: April 4, 2025
Qingming Festival vs. Halloween: A Comparison
Today is Chinese Qingming Festival , if you are in China you may see people are burning Joss Paper to their passed family members, normally at crossroad areas like Carrefour to choose the place to open the supermarket, the former one implies to send the “money” easily to their loved ones who passed way ,the latter is for convenience to collect money from people who passed by from different directions.
While for others who adopt the traditional way to commemorate ,I am using the modern method of writing online to do so, which is more environmentally protective ,replaced those “money” with words to my Grandpa, Grandma, my Father and my uncle, they couldn’t understand English, but there in the new world, language is not a barrier at all. Barrier is not good but sometimes it is useful, it depends on different situation, for instance when we want to protect ourselves from danger we need a fence to defend, and during the process of burning the spirit money or writing to them ,we not only missed our deceased loved ones but also we hope to get the power or support from them to protect us so that we are safe always.
Although Qingming Festival is only in China, there are some similar days like this, for example ,the most famous Halloween day, still they are not exactly same ,but similar, here is a comparison between the two:
Category Qingming Festival Halloween Date April 4th or 5th (Gregorian calendar) October 31st (Gregorian calendar) Origin A traditional Chinese festival originating from ancient ancestor worship culture A Western festival rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and the Christian All Hallows’ Eve Cultural Background Focuses on ancestor worship, tomb-sweeping, and remembrance, emphasizing filial piety and family heritage Incorporates religious, folk, and entertainment elements, originally associated with spirits and supernatural beliefs, later evolving into a fun-filled celebration Main Activities Tomb-sweeping, ancestor worship, spring outings, flying kites, willow branch decoration, eating green rice balls (Qingtuan) Dressing up in costumes, carving Jack-o’-lanterns, Trick-or-Treating, haunted houses, Halloween parties Symbolic Meaning Honoring deceased relatives, expressing respect for ancestors, and symbolizing the arrival of spring and new life Remembering the dead, warding off evil spirits, and evolving into a celebration of fun and social interaction Symbolic Colors Green (spring, outdoor activities), gray (mourning, remembrance) Orange (pumpkins, autumn), black (night, mystery) Modern Evolution In addition to traditional ancestor worship, new practices such as eco-friendly tomb sweeping (e.g., online memorials) and cultural tourism have emerged Originally a religious holiday, it has transformed into a global pop culture festival centered around entertainment Overall, Qingming Festival is solemn and focused on honoring ancestors, while Halloween is more playful, entertaining, and centered on social interaction.
Besides the customs of tomb-sweeping and ancestor worship, there are also traditions such as spring outings, eating green rice balls (Qingtuan), and flying kites, etc.
