Hi everyone! I'm Sisi, a travel enthusiast! Today is Qingming, the 5th solar term of the traditional Chinese calendar and a traditional Chinese festival spanning thousands of years.
I'm here in Hangzhou, a beautiful city in east China's Zhejiang Province, to experience its unique charm during this solar term.
During the Qingming solar term, the grass grows lush, orioles fly, willows sway gently and the spring breeze whispers poetry. Flowers bloom quietly and people, as if every step were in a line of poetry, wander on the Su Causeway at dawn, enjoying the picturesque scenery.
During Qingming, Hangzhou is filled with the fragrance of wormwood. Every household is busy making or buying qingtuan, a kind of round green cake. This soft and sticky delight is a special taste of spring in areas south of the Yangtze River.
Qingming Festival is also a time to remember loved ones and honor ancestors. In China, people clean tombs and pay respect with offerings to express grief and remembrance.
Other parts of the world also have similar traditions. For example, people in Mexico hold ceremonies to honor life and express deep longing for their loved ones on Dia de los Muertos every Nov. 1 and 2.
During Qingming, pear blossoms sway in the breeze and travelers venture out in search of spring. No matter how you spend this solar term, Qingming conveys warmth and hope.
(Images of this video are generated by AI. Zhang Heyun, as an intern, also contributed to this article.)
