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This festival is held on the Twelfth Day of the second moon. Sometimes it is referred to as the "budding moon." As kung fu technique descriptions are often poetic, the Chinese refer to this time of year as when " the plants on the mountain are changed into jade." This is another way of announcing that the leaves and flowers are coming forth to greet the sun. Women and children prepare colored paper and silk wrapped ornaments and party favors to hang on flowers and branches of shrubs. They recite praises and congratulation sentences, bow and pray. The ceremony of worship assures a fruitful season.
This festival occurs 106 days after winter solstice or about the third day of the third moon. It is similar to our American Memorial Day. Chinese visit the graves of their ancestors and present offerings at the gravesite for the departed spirits. This Festival of Tombs is also referred to as the cold food festival. This is because three days before the Festival of Tombs, no fires are made. Once graves are cleaned up and prepared with offerings, then and only then, fires are rekindled and homes are decorated with plants. Families take excursions into the country for picnics and family festivities. Easter holidays in America and Europe share some similarities. Chinese view willow as a symbol of good that wards off evil. By the way, willow's Latin name is Salix Nigra. In America we also call it by the common names of Black Willow, Pussywillow, and Catkins Willow. The medicinal part is the bark. It grows along the riverbanks to a height of 15 to 50 feet. Its properties and uses are that it is bitter, astringent, detergent and anti-periodic. The use of the willow in the Festival of Tombs has it tied in bunches and usually hung from the tiling above the front door. Several pieces are also distributed inside the home.
This festival is celebrated during the first five days of the fifth moon. On the morning of the first day, the herbs Artemisia and Sweet Flag are tied together. The herbs are hung on doorposts and windows. Children dress in their best clothes and meet at the lake or river to watch the Dragon boats race. This Festival began back in 295 BC when statesman Ch'u Yuan of Ying drowned himself in the river Mi-lo. He did this to protest false accusations against him by a petty princess of the state, and as protest against a corrupt government. The people for his fidelity and virtue loved him. Many search parties failed to find his body. In honor of his life, the people prepared rice-cake or "tsung." It was wrapped in leaves. Wood boats were decorated with flags and gongs. With gongs beating away, they raced toward the legendary spot or designated spot of ceremony representing Ch'u Yuan's legendary death site, for the honor of being first to make a sacrifice to the spirit of the great statesman. Down through the ages it has become an annual holiday. The wood boats that raced were about 125 feet long, two and a half feet deep, five and a half feet wide and cost about $500 to build. The bow is usually a carved dragonhead or a decorated one attached. The stern represented the tail. There are rowers, gong beaters and flag wavers. Gong beaters and flag wavers encourage the rowers. The Dragon Boat Festival may have its roots in a much earlier dragon related ritual that related to honoring the dragon so as to send down plenty of rain for the crops. Because of the many documented accidents over the years, restrictions exist in some parts of China and other parts it is forbidden entirely. Month/Plant Correlations 1st Prune Blossom - Flower of 1st Month and Winter 2nd Peach Blossom - Charm against Evil 3rd Tree Peony - Spring, Riches, Honor, Love and Affection, Feminine Beauty, Prosperity. 4th Cherry Blossom - Feminine Beauty 5th.Magnolia - Feminine, Sweetness, Beauty 6th Pomegranate Blossoms 7th Lotus Flower - Summer - Creative Power and Purity amid adverse surroundings. 8th Pear Blossom - Wise and Benevolent Administration 9th Mallow 10th Chrysanthemum - Autumn - Joviality, Life of Ease, Retirement from Public Office 11th Gardenia 12th Poppy  Phone: (619) 766 - 9256 Mew Hing Productions 42499 Old Hwy. 80 P.O. Box 427 Jacumba, CA. 91934-0427 E-mail: MewHing@earthlink.net ShaBruCha Graphics  618-529-2856 sharoney2@yahoo.com |