Dear Partners,

Pleased be advised the Chinese festival of Qingming falls on Friday, April 4th this year. Also known as ‘Tomb Sweeping Day’, Qingming is a day upon which the Chinese traditionally honor and remember their departed loved ones. A traditional holiday, observed by all the Chinese, Qingming becomes an official public holiday in Mainland China for the first time in 2008.8.

Qingming translates as ‘Clear and Bright Festival’ and is both a time for people to go outside and enjoy the spring, and a day to tend to the graves of deceased family members. Tombs are swept – hence the festival’s English name – and people offer food, tea, wine and joss paper to their ancestors.