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Post by Blue on Apr 5, 2013 6:48:50 GMT
The Qingming Festival, which takes place 15 days after the Spring Equinox, has just passed. It's the Chinese equivalent of All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead when everyone goes to the countryside to sweep tombs. Usually there's nice weather (and not the dreaded cold right now in London with snow in April), so families would have a picnic at the tombs and share food with the shepherds that pass by.
On average, this would also be the time that the sakura in Tokyo would be in full bloom, so many people in Taiwan take advantage of this holiday to visit Japan. (However, the sakura bloomed earlier this year because it has been warmer in Asia for some reason).
While Chinese Christians and Muslims also sweep tombs on this day, they refrain from burning ghost money. Joss/incense sticks seem to be tolerated, though.
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