Chinese solar festival focused on honoring ancestors, that starts on the 15th day after the vernal equinox. It originated from the custom of offering sacrifices to ancestors; observances include the veneration of ancestors, honoring their teachings and virtues, sweeping their tombs, having picnics, and placing willow branches on doors. Ancestor worship flourished after the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). Because the date of the Qingming Festival was close to the Hanshi Festival (Cold Food Festival) and the Shangsi Festival (Double Third Festival), customs of these two festivals have been adopted in the retained in, Qingming Festival, including the banning of fire, eating raw food, sweeping tombs, and spring outings.
