清明节的正确打开方式 Proper ways to spend Qingming Festival

佛山人对传统节日极为重视，清明期间拜祭先人是家家户户必做的事情。那么，佛山人在清明节期间都有哪些特别的习俗呢？不知现如今的“后生”们有没有继承这种传统呢？让我们继续来了解一下！

Foshan residents attaches great importance to traditional festivals. During the Qingming Festival, it’s a routine for every family to worship their ancestors. Are there any special customs for Foshan people during the Qingming Festival? And have the young generations inherited these traditions? Let’s know more about it!

上山拜太公 Mourning ancestors

清明节，人们通常在祖宗坟前焚香烧纸，拜祭祖先。人们来到祖先坟前，供上食物、酒水、鲜花等，以示敬意。他们扫墓、除草、添土，在墓上插柳并焚烧纸钱。他们在祖先坟前祷告，请求他们保佑家人。但是，如今的习俗已大大简化，特别是在城里，他们只向逝者献花。

In the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day), people usually mourn their ancestors by burning incense and paper money at their ancestors' grave sites. People show respect to their ancestors by visiting their graves, and offering food, wine, flowers, etc. They sweep the tombs, remove weeds, and add fresh soil to the graves, stick willow branches on the tomb, and burn paper money. They pray before their ancestors' graves and beseech them to bless their families. However, the custom has been greatly simplified today, especially in cities, where only flowers are presented to the dead.

祭品寄心意Offering gifts

清明节前，佛山人一般都会准备烧鹅、甘蔗、荞菜、松糕等祭品。佛山人认为，先人会清明节回家，所以要在祖先牌位前供奉祭品。

Foshan people usually prepare offerings such as roast goose, sugar cane, buckwheat and sponge cake. Foshan people believe that the ancestors will “go home” at Qingming Festival Festival, so they prepare the offerings on the memorial tablet in advance.

烤烧猪是佛山祭祖的重头戏，红皮赤壮，寓意宏图大展。很早以前，家里有大猪就说明生活水平很不错，所以每年过清明，一个家族就会挑出最大的猪来拜山，以示对祖先的尊敬。

Roast pig is the most important part for worshiping ancestors in Foshan. The red skin of the roast pig has the implication of realizing one’s great ambition. Long time ago, a big pig in the family means a good living standard, so during the Qingming Festival, a family will pick out the largest pig to worship ancestors, which implies a sign of respect for their ancestors.

佛山人清明祭祖的食品还有各种各种面粉制作成的团状食物，有豆沙、莲蓉等作馅，取团团圆圆之意。

There are also many snacks which are wrapped with green bean and lotus seed paste, meaning happiness and reunion.

踏青 Spring outings

清明节又叫踏青节。踏青意思是春游，人们外出欣赏春天欣欣向荣的景象。清明节通常是在北方万物变绿前不久的一天，恰逢南方春暖花开的时候。清明标志着随着天气变暖，人们外出时间增多的季节开始了。

Qingming is also called Taqing Festival. Taqing means a spring outing, when people get out and enjoy the spring blossoms. The festival usually falls on a day not long before everything turns green in the north, and well in the spring flower season in south. It marks the beginning of the season when people spend more time outside as the weather warms up.

又是一年清明节，你家的清明习俗又是怎样的呢？快来分享一下~

It’s Qingming Festival again. What about the customs in your family? Welcome to share with us!

来源：佛山新闻网、佛山日报、中国日报

编译：佛山新闻网 何燕良