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The Commemoration on Qing Ming-- Shirley's 135th Friendly Greeting -- Sat, April 6, 2008

Hi,Dear Friends

How are you? I do hope that you are well, have an easy and relaxed weekend.

This Friday to Sunday ? April 4 to April 6, is Qing Ming of China, in English it is Tomb-sweeping Day. Usually, it is on April 5. But in leap year, it is on April 4. Since 2008, it has become a formal national holiday from a folk festival. So, we have a 3 days holiday this week.

As a traditional Chinese festival, in ancient times, people celebrated Qing Ming with dancing, singing, picnics, and kite flying. Colored boiled eggs would be broken to symbolize the opening of life. In the capital, the Emperor would plant trees on the palace grounds to celebrate the renewing nature of spring. In the villages, young men and women would court each other.

Along with the time, the main activity of Qing Ming has become to honor past ancestors. In Chinese culture, we admire the quality that no matter where we are, no matter we are successful or not, we can not forget our ancestors, we can not forget that we are Chinese and where our root is. We believe that the spirits of deceased ancestors would look after and bless a family prosper through good harvests and more children. So, every Qing Ming, thousands upon thousands people go back to the tombs of their ancestors, family members, lovers, friends, the heroes or the great people in the history and the contemporary era to yearn and to commemorate them. Usually, people put flowers, incense, food, fruit and something that the people who were in the tombs had enjoyed by the tombs...

It is said that several millions of people would come to my city -- Shenzhen and several million people will leave for their hometown during the holiday. There are also millions of oversea Chinese people coming back to the mainland via Hong Kong and Shenzhen customs during Qing Ming.

Besides the traditions of honoring the dead, people also enjoy flying kites on Tomb Sweeping Day. Kites can come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors. Designs could include frogs, dragonflies, butterflies, crabs, bats and storks.

Since Qing Ming has become a national holiday in 2008, there are more and more activities and entertainments on the TV, in the parks to celebrate it now.

However, it has also brought a serious traffic problem and there are too many people everywhere. So, I rather than stay at home to read, paint and to work on my little web site. Can you imagine? Because I have 3 days free time this week, I have completed 3 little paintings already.

Is there any festival to honor the deceased people in your culture? How do you spend it usually?

Shirley Created Combined Art -- 015: Qing Ming
There are many art works of literature, music and painting to express the hearts of people on Tomb-sweeping Day (Qing Ming). The poem Qing Ming by Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu is one of the most famous. So, I created a painting according to its meaning on Saturday and I have combined it with my music creation, calligraphy and Chinese poem explanation together. I do hope that my learning and exploration will bring you a smile.

Shirley Created Art -- Gouache --0124: Golden Autumn
I did not think that my painting of trees were well. So, I went to the biggest art store to buy 14 art books via the opportunity to have meetings in our biggest shareholder's building that is next to the book city Monday and Thursday. I wanted to see how the senior artists to paint a tree except seeing trees with my own eyes. Then I completed this painting independently outside art lesson. My teacher thought that I had made a good progress except the little flowers, so, I got 90 marks. Do you enjoy it?

Shirley Created Art -- Chinese Xieyi -- 0163: Lotus Pool
After painting 163 Xieyi Paintings, 24 Gongbi Paintings,14 Combined Paintings since last November, I have been learning to paint Gouaches I want to learn Chinese painting again. So, I completed a Gouache outside class and I wanted to learn Chinese paintings in my art lesson. I made the size smaller in the lesson so that my teacher to show me more skills. I wondered whether the size is convenient for being mounted, hung up or be collected. Once more, my teacher asked me to make my paintings into the market and be tested by it. As usual, I am not interested in selling paintings and I need not to live relying on it. But, I agree with my teacher for I want to create my own combined art style of painting, music, language and culture together. How do you think of my idea? Do you like this picture?

Chinese Classical Poem 0109 --0081 (By Dumu) & Shirley Created Music-0071--03£ºQing Ming -- Tomb-sweeping Day
Last Qing Ming, I had created a piece of music and sang it to match a famous Qing Ming poem by Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu. This Qing Ming, I have created a new painting and a new calligraphy to match the music, my own singing and the poem. Later, I will try to sing it in English and I do hope that my effort will be a little bit help to you to understand the poem and to know more about Chinese culture and to improve your Chinese level.


I am just a learner on that art of painting, music, calligraphy, languages and to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a little bit things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be An Electronic Bridge Of Culture Exchange, Friendship and Language Learning. To help the others while to improve myself.

I appreciate your understanding, directions and supports. I do hope to get your friendly help...

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Sun, April 6, 2008

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