Qing Ming is popularly associated with Jie Zi Zhui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C. Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord's life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him. However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring to lead a hermit's life with his mother in the mountains.
Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire. To his consternation, Jie chose to remain where he was and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie's death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.
The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of Qing Ming and is often considered as part of the Qing Ming festival. As time passes, the Qing Ming festival replaced the "cold food" festival. Whatever practice is observed，the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one's elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to remind the younger members of the family of the lives and contributions of their ancestors, and the story of Jie Zi Zhui who choose death over capitulation.
清明節是普遍學習介子椎,住在公元前600年山西省傳說傑主救了他的飢餓的生活提供一張自己的腿。當耶和華成功地成為小公國的統治者,他邀請他的忠實追隨者加入他。然而,傑拒絕了他的邀請,寧願過著隱士的生活與他的母親在山裡。
相信他能迫使傑通過燃燒山上,耶和華命令他的助手們設定森林著火了。他的驚愕,傑選擇保持他和被燒死。為了紀念介子椎,晉文公下令每年的家將在周年傑的死亡。因此開始吃生冷,一天,沒有食物可以禁止生火被點燃。
“冷的食物”的節日清明節前夕發生,通常被認為是清明節的一部分。隨著時間的流逝,清明節的節日取代了“冷食物”的節日。任何實踐觀察,清明節的基本觀察是記住一個人的長老通過一個特殊的努力訪問他們的墳墓,灰或祖先的平板電腦。使訪問更加有意義,應該花一些時間來提醒年輕的家族成員的生活和貢獻他們的祖先,和學習介子椎的故事在投降選擇死亡。