Qingming Festival: Honoring Ancestors and Tending Graves in Vietnam

The Qingming Festival, known in Vietnam as Tết Thanh Minh or the Festival for Tending Graves (Lễ Tảo Mộ), is a sacred occasion that blends spiritual reverence with family tradition. Though it shares roots with the Chinese Qingming Festival, the Vietnamese version—often called the Thanh Minh Festival—has evolved with unique cultural significance.

This springtime event is a moment for Vietnamese families to visit ancestral graves, tidy the sites, offer prayers, and spend time together, keeping the values of filial piety and remembrance alive. Held during early April when the skies are bright and nature is in bloom, Tết Thanh Minh also serves as a quiet reminder to reconnect with nature and one’s roots.

But what are the origins of this solemn festival, and how is it practiced today in Vietnam? Let’s explore the rich traditions of the Qingming Festival with Chus.

What is the Qingming Festival?

According to the traditional Vietnamese lunisolar calendar, there are 24 solar terms in a year. Qingming is the fifth solar term after Lập Xuân (Beginning of Spring), marking a time when the weather becomes clearer and more temperate.

The Qingming Festival (known in Vietnamese as Tết Thanh Minh or Tết Đạp Thanh) originated in China and was introduced to Vietnam long ago. Over the centuries, it has become a meaningful tradition in Vietnamese spiritual life, standing alongside other major holidays like Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year), Tết Đoan Ngọ (Mid-year Festival), and Tết Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival).

The Chinese name Qingming Jie (清明节) translates to the “Pure Brightness Festival”—a phrase that resonates deeply in Vietnamese culture as well. In Vietnamese, “Thanh” means “pure” or “clear,” and “Minh” means “bright”, echoing the same imagery of fresh spring skies and renewal. This shared interpretation gives the festival a poetic quality that aligns with nature, clarity, and reflection.

Traditionally, Vietnamese families observe this period by cleaning and tending to ancestral graves on the first day of the Qingming period—an act of remembrance and filial piety passed down through generations.

When is the Qingming Festival in 2025?

Qingming is the fifth solar term of the year. It comes after the Spring Equinox (Xuân Phân, pinyin: Chunfen) and just before Grain Rain (Cốc Vũ, Guyu). According to the traditional 24 solar terms, Qingming usually begins on April 4 or 5 and lasts for about 15 to 16 days.

The first five solar terms of the year, starting from the Beginning of Spring, are:

• Lập Xuân – Lichun (Feb 4–5): Beginning of Spring
• Vũ Thủy – Yushui (Feb 18–19): Rain Water
• Kinh Trập – Jingzhe (Mar 5–6): Awakening of Insects
• Xuân Phân – Chunfen (Mar 20–21): Spring Equinox
• Thanh Minh – Qingming (Apr 4–5): Pure Brightness
• Cốc Vũ – Guyu (Apr 20–21): Grain Rain

In 2025, the Qingming Festival falls on Friday, April 4 (Gregorian calendar).

Main Activities During the Qingming Festival

Translation: "Thanh Minh in the third lunar month,
Grave sweeping is solemn, yet springtime is bright."

This famous verse from The Tale of Kiều by Nguyễn Du captures the two essential customs of Qingming in Vietnam:

Grave Sweeping (Tảo Mộ) – Festival for Tending Graves

The core tradition of Qingming Festival in Vietnam (Tết Thanh Minh) is tảo mộ, where families visit cemeteries to clean and maintain the graves of ancestors. It symbolizes respect for one’s roots and the continuity of family lines.

During this time, cemeteries become bustling with families tending to graves by:

✔ Cleaning the tombstones and removing weeds
✔ Offering incense, flowers, food, and votive paper
✔ Performing prayers and rituals to honor the deceased

Grave sweeping is the most significant tradition during Qingming. (Photo: Source)

This tradition is especially important for teaching younger generations about ancestor worship and their responsibility to maintain family heritage. It is also a time when relatives living far away return home to reunite with family and partake in a meaningful ancestral meal together.

2. Spring Outings (Du Xuân) – Enjoying Nature After the Rituals

After the grave-tending rituals, people often take a leisurely stroll to enjoy the fresh spring air, a practice that resembles the "Đạp Thanh" (踏青) custom in East Asian cultures.

In China, the Qingming Festival is accompanied by various outdoor activities such as kite flying, swing games, and archery. However, in Vietnam, Thanh Minh remains primarily focused on ancestral veneration rather than public festivities. Some Vietnamese families plant trees or pray for good fortune, but large-scale celebrations like in China are uncommon.

"Ten Beauties Flying Kites" – a Chinese woodblock print illustrating the Qingming Festival's kite-flying tradition."

Why is Qingming Festival Important?

Qingming Festival is more than just a ritual—it serves as a bridge between past and present, life and afterlife.

• Spiritual Meaning – It is a time for connecting with ancestors, maintaining family graves, and offering prayers.
• Cultural Significance – The festival strengthens family bonds and reinforces the tradition of "paying respects to one's roots."
• Environmental Awareness – Cleaning graveyards and planting trees promote responsibility for public spaces and nature conservation.

Despite the fast pace of modern life, Qingming Festival, or Tết Thanh Minh, reminds Vietnamese people of the importance of gratitude, remembrance, and family unity. Even a simple act—lighting incense, offering a prayer, or sharing a meal—can make the occasion meaningful.

What to Do and Avoid During Qingming Festival

1. Meaningful Activities to Do

✔ Prepare offerings such as incense, flowers, fruits, cakes, and votive paper.
✔ Clean the house and ancestral altar to refresh the spiritual space.
✔ Dress modestly and respectfully when visiting graves.
✔ Burn incense for nearby unclaimed graves as an act of kindness.
✔ Share a family meal after the rituals to reinforce family unity.

A traditional offering tray for ancestors during Qingming. (Photo: Source)

2. Things to Avoid

✖ Avoid holding weddings, birthdays, or housewarming parties.
✖ Refrain from taking group photos near gravesites.
✖ Ensure that ancestral graves are well-maintained—neglecting them is believed to bring bad luck.
✖ Avoid wearing new shoes, covering your forehead with hair, or stepping on offerings, as these are considered inauspicious.

Is Gift-Giving Part of Qingming Festival?

Unlike Lunar New Year Tết Nguyên Đán, Qingming is not a time for exchanging gifts between the living. Instead, offerings to ancestors are considered the true “gifts” of the festival. These may include:

✔ Food, tea, and wine
✔ Votive paper and symbolic money
✔ Personalized items that represent the deceased’s preferences

These symbolic tributes express love, gratitude, and respect for ancestors, ensuring their spirits are remembered and honored.

Conclusion

Through this article, we hope you’ve gained a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s Qingming Festival, called "Thanh Minh,"—a sacred time for honoring ancestors and preserving traditions.

By continuing these customs, Vietnamese people uphold the values of filial piety, gratitude, and family unity, ensuring that even as times change, their heritage remains alive for generations to come.

For more insights into Vietnamese cultural traditions and heritage-inspired gifts, explore more articles on Chus!