Kyle W. Porter: Discovering the magic of Qing Ming festival in Tongxiang

By Kyle W. Porter | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2019-04-04 17:30

Kyle W. Porter: Discovering the magic of Qing Ming festival in Tongxiang

The folk parade at the festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

There is a crowd gathering in front of the stage unlike any I've seen before.Everything in my line of sight is a sea of red and yellow.There are dragons, flowers, boats, horses, clams, silkworms, and even a mischievous monkey king. It looks like I have traveled to a fairytale kingdom untouched by the modern world. I take a moment to try and get my bearings. Near me I can see a crowd of locals, tourists, and media members larger than the colorful gathering I've been so lost in. Now I remember where I am! I am at Baquan Village in the city of during Qing Ming festival.

Tucked away in the northern part of Zhejiang province lies the city of Tong Xiang. Situated between the major cities of Hangzhou and Shanghai, Tongxiang remains a scenic, pastoral getaway from the hectic pace of city life. As the locals say, above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou, and Tongxiang lies on the road to Suzhou and Hangzhou. While not as well-known as its neighbors, Tongxiang has a lot to offer visitors. The best time to visit is in the spring in and around Qing Ming festival.

A blessing is read aloud during the Silkworm Festival[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Qing Ming festival or Tomb-sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival focused on paying respect to the dead and agriculture. The holiday usually falls just when Spring is starting on either April 4th or 5th. It is time of remembrance and traditional folk activities. The unique traditions of Qing Ming festival can be best exemplified through a trip to Ba Quan Village in Tong Xiang. Tongxiang and Baquan village have been known for their silk production for hundreds of years. To ensure a good harvest, locals pray to the goddess of silk worm (can hua niang niang 蚕花娘娘). There are offerings of different foods laid out on a table, incense sticks are burned, and a blessing is read aloud. There are also many folk activities and performances that take place throughout the festival. Some of these include dances featuring dragons, boats, calms, horses, and school children singing in traditional dress. This is a wildly popular event with big crowds, but don’t worry there are performances throughout the day and something to see for everyone.

Dragon Dance in the folk parade at the festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A sight not to miss is the folk parade. This is certainly the highlight of the festivities in Baquan village. During the parade, one can see people in very colorful costumes playing music with traditional instruments, walking on stilts, and if you are lucky, the goddess of silk worm might throw you a candy or a paper flower. Gifts from the goddess are considered symbols of good luck and a fruitful harvest for the year. However, catching a gift is easier said than done because everyone wants one. It can get a little aggressive.

Experiencing all of these activities can make a visitor hungry. Do not worry! Qing Ming has many tasty traditional foods. The most unique snack is tian mai ta bing (甜麦塌饼). It is a sweet round cake made from wheat grass and cooked in oil. The outside is crunchy, but the inside is tender and sticky. Often there is red bean paste (hong dou sha红豆沙) inside to give the cake sweetness and added flavor. Tian mai ta bing is best served piping hot, so be careful when biting into one.

The most unique snack, a sweet round cake called tian mai ta bing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

It is now later in the afternoon. The parade of dragons, flowers, boats, horses, clams, and silkworms has passed by. The crowd has started to move away and people start their returns back to their homes. On the surface, Baquan village looks deserted. But take a closer look. Inside the hearts and minds of the people the spirit and wonder of Qing Ming festival lives on.

Author:

Kyle W. Porter, an American, is a member of the Hangzhou Association of Foreign Writers responsible for regularly launching and organizing related activities of the association. The Association currently operates a collection of online electronic magazines, for which Mr. Porter writes a regular column. In addition, he also writes many kinds of literary works, such as poems, novels and plays. At present, Mr. Porter is working in Lanqing Primary School in Ningbo city. As an English teacher there, Mr. Porter has visited China's many famous historical and cultural scenic spots and enjoyed China's magnificent natural scenery. He hopes that he can have more in-depth experience of “Chinese traditional culture”, and introduce China to the world through his stories.