CHINA: MOURNING: QING MING: SWEEPING THE TOMB

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Mandarin/Nat People all over China have been celebrating the lunar festival of Qing Ming, or Tomb Sweeping Day by visiting family graves to pay their respects to their ancestors Thousands marked the occasion by attending an ancient ceremony of ancestor worship near the imperial capital of Xian. The ceremony was banned for decades during and after the Cultural Revolution, but has enjoyed a revival of late. Every year, a growing crowd gathers to commemorate Qing Ming at the tomb of the Yellow Emperor - said to be the father of the Chinese people. The ancient ceremony began with whirling dancers, clashing cymbals and booming drums. Banned for decades during the Cultural Revolution as a relic of China's feudal past, the Qing Ming festival at the tomb of the Yellow Emperor has gained popularity in recent years. Qing Ming is a day reserved for rites honoring one's ancestors. All ethnic Han Chinese - whether on the mainland, in Taiwan, or overseas - share this sacred day in common. And no Qing Ming ceremony is more important than this one - honoring "Huang Di", the Yellow Emperor, the ancestor of all Han Chinese people. Though poor relations continues to divide mainland China and Taiwan, this is a day to they celebrate what they have in common. The Chinese communist government views Taiwan as a renegade province, to be reunited with the mainland - by force if necessary. Taiwan, on the other hand, continues to seek a greater role in international affairs. Almost two-hundred kilometers north of the imperial Chinese capital, Xian, is the site believed to be the tomb of the Yellow Emperor. Huang Di is revered as the father of all Han Chinese people, one of the Five Sovereigns thought to have reigned 5-thousand years ago. The Yellow Emperor is credited with uniting many different Chinese clans through conquest, as well as with numerous inventions including silkworm cultivation and the standardization of early Chinese writing. The ceremony started in the Han dynasty and is said to have been held through thousands of years with few exceptions. In imperial days a minister of the Emperor presided over the ceremony. Since 1949, a government official from Beijing has filled his shoes. After being banned during the Cultural Revolution, the ceremony was allowed again in 1980 and has grown in popularity ever since. As communist ideology plays a smaller and smaller role in the lives of modern Chinese, many have turned to China's past for a sense of meaning and community. The ceremony attracts ethnic Chinese from around the region. For many, like this Hong Kong resident, it's an important pilgrimage. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) "We have heard a lot about this ceremony but have never seen it before. So this time we came here to see this big ceremony. It makes us feel very happy and excited." SUPER CAPTION: Hong Kong resident Other visitors came from Taiwan. While the mainland and Taiwan continue to battle over their differences, today was a day of unity. Many of the Taiwanese visitors at the ceremony expressed hope that the two sides could patch up their differences soon. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) "Both sides of the Taiwan Straits should first do more exchanges, to exchange views, then gradually we can establish the three links (air, shipping and telecommunications). After that, on the Taiwan side, the government would not be able to create any more obstacles to unification. As for the mainland side, as long as the gap in living standards shrinks, that will be the time for unification. That's my opinion." SUPER CAPTION: Li Ting Rong, Taiwanese resident, attending ceremony for second time SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) SUPER CAPTION: Local villager You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e42ae149e7e2ba8ac5ae03d2030e7559 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork