(来源：英语学习门户 http://www.EnglishCN.com)

What do we have on Tomb-sweeping Day except “burning”?

  清明时节似乎注定要成为一个追思的季节。那不绝如缕的雨丝总能勾起人们缅怀先人、尊祖敬宗的绵绵情感。

Tomb-sweeping Day seems to be a season of memory. The constant drizzle reminds people of the affinity of forefathers and respect to ancestors.

    清明节，正是春光明媚草木吐绿的时节，也正是人们春游的好时候，所以古人有清明踏青的习俗。我国传统的清明节大约始于周代，已有二千五百多年的历史。由于清明与寒食的日子接近，而寒食是民间禁火扫墓的日子，渐渐地，寒食与清明就合二为一了，而寒食即成为清明的别称，也变成清明时节的一个习俗，清明之日不动烟火，只吃凉的食品。
Tomb-sweeping Day is just the time of bright spring with flourishing green plants and the best time for people to have a spring-out, therefore, it has been long the custom to walk in the field on the Tomb-sweeping Day. It was originated from approximately Zhou dynasty with a history of more than 2500 years. Since it is almost the same as “Cold-food Day” on which people prohibited fire and swept the tombs. Gradually, the two days derived into one festival and “Cold-food” became the epithet of “Tomb-sweeping Day” and one of the customs as well. Therefore, people will not light fire and eat cold food on “Tomb-sweeping Day”.

    寄托哀思不拘泥于形式，让生活充满鲜活的色彩，也是先人对后人的希望所在，我们又何必烧来烧去闹得乌烟瘴气呢？那么，在清明节这天你会选择何种方式度过？同时，你会用何种方式寄托你对故人的追思？
There is no restriction for people to express the grief. What the ancestors wish is that we can enrich our life.  Why do we burn so much and cause so heavy smoke? Then, how are you going to spend your Tomb-sweeping Day and how would you express your missing to your ancestors?

It's always raining during the Tomb-Sweeping Day, it's cold these days. People take much count of this festival whether it is a national day, bcs we are the group who remember our roots.

清明时节雨纷纷，看来真是这个理，而且最近这个天也是冷，都有零度。无论清明是否属于国家法定节日，国民们都很重视，因为我们骨子里都是不忘本的人啊。

The basic comity in Tomb Sweeping Day is ancestors worship, everybody has its own way to grieve. Many people who is out will put down their work, slow their feet and back home. It's the virtue of our land to go home when old.
It is different between countryside and urban for worshipping the ancestors in the forms, there are many forms in the country, one set by one, while in the urban it's rather simple and environment-protection.

清明节基本的礼仪是，祭祖，很多在外的人都会在那一天忍不住放下自己的工作，放慢自己的脚步，回到家中祭祖，叶落归根是我们中华的美德。祭祖在城市与农村是不同的，光形式上来说就不同，农村礼比较多，一套一套的；而城市里的就相对比较简单，环保些。

In fact, besides "burnning money N paper", we can do more, such as we can go for a trip during these sunshine days with our relatives N friends, or have a deep talk after gather again.

We should treat well to our relatives N friends who are still alive, N give them more care and love, besides remember our ancestors.

其实，清明除了“烧纸，烧钱”，还有很多事可以做，这一天除了缅怀过去，更多的是继新年后又一难得的相聚，珍惜现在，团聚在一起，踏青，郊游在这个春光明媚的日子里，叙旧，都是不错的选择。

清明节，除了不忘根，也要好好待尚在的亲朋好友们，这也是这个古老的节日久盛不衰的原因所在，袅袅青烟中，是对祖先的怀念，更是对身边的人的浓爱，珍惜身边的爱。

Qingming Festival  清明节

“清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。借问酒家何处有，牧童遥指杏花村。”I bet most of you have learned this poem. 这首诗里讲的就是我们国家的一个传统节日——清明节.
Qingming Festival is also a festival to enjoy the beautiful spring. 清明节在古代又叫踏青节，

刚刚过完整蛊搞怪的愚人节，我们又迎来了肃穆的清明节。清明既是一个节气，也是一个节日。通常在每年的4月4号或者5号。它是由古代的寒食节发展而来的。This is a story about the Hanshi Festival. 它发生在2000多年前春秋时代的晋国。

Chong Er was one of the princes but his father didn't like him. Some bad people told his father that Chong Er was going to rebel. So he had to run away from the country.
逃亡途中，公子重耳和保护他的几位大臣在山里迷了路。

In the mountains, they didn't get enough food. Chong Er almost starved to death.

为了救重耳，一名叫介子推的大臣偷偷从大腿上割了一块肉让他充饥

Years later, Chong Er became the King of the Jin Kingdom. He wanted to thank Jie and asked him to be his minister, but Jie refused. 后来介子推在大火中不幸被烧死了。晋王重耳非常伤心，命令百姓在介子推去世那天不许生火做饭，只能吃冷食。这就是“寒食节”的由来。