Qingming postscript

Qingming

During the Qingming Festival, there was a lot of rain, and the pedestrians on the road wanted to break their souls. If they asked where there was a restaurant, the shepherd boy pointed to Xinghua Village. In the time of Qingming—it is always drizzling and misty. People on the path were being downcast. “Where could I have a drink?” The traveler asked. The shepherd boy pointed to the remote village in the deep apricot blossom.

Qingming: a period in the early spring. It is also one of China's 24 Solar Terms. Ancient Chinese divided the circle of annual motion of the sun into 24equal segments; each segment was called a “jie qi” or solar term. It is also a holiday for people to sweep the tombs of their ancestors and to count blessing from ancestors. Family often get together during Qingming holidays.

The time is clear and bright, a little sentimental, but also hopeful. At this time, the wet and cold weather brought the message of spring, and the flowers contained strength in their buds, ready to bloom. Qingming, a season that casts a shadow over the sky, is also a season that holds hope. The cold and wet of Qingming send words of spring: a flower storing strength in the bud is ready to bloom.

At this time, on the way home, there was always a drizzle, and one could not help but think of Du Mu's poem "Qingming". Most of the explanations for the desire to break the soul in the poem were caused by the rain and the longing for the deceased family. People and gods are hurt, but there is also a saying that the Qingming list here refers to the solar term of Qingming, not Qingming tomb sweeping, so it is just because of the weather that makes people feel uncomfortable, you need to find a place to rest, warm your body, and get rid of the cold. When I was on the way home on Qingming holiday, it was always raining and misty. The poem “Qingming” written by Dumu, a poet in China's Tang Dynasty, came to my mind. The poem said the traveler was grieved because of the constant raining and a missing loved one. Another perspective is that the term “Qingming” only refers to the solar term, not a time for tomb sweeping. The reason why the traveler was depressed was the bad weather, in need of a place to rest and warm up, not the passing of family.

However, whether it is the weather or the "broken soul" caused by missing relatives, there is a shepherd boy who can point out hope in front of him, just as the Bible says, "Good news comes from afar, like giving cold water to a thirsty person. Drink.” (Proverbs 25:25) The traveler’s footsteps are thus more secure, with a pot of warm wine, a small plate of vegetables, and a fire of wood in his heart, although he is still far away, he can look at the apricots to relieve the cold, and in his soul The sales place continues to move forward. However, whatever led to the traveler's terrible mood, the shepherd boy pointing out the hope gave the traveler a sense of security. What the boy had done was just like what the Bible says “Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” (Proverb 25:25) A pot of warm wine, a dish of drunk food and a fire for heating, although they were in the distance, eased the cold and wet, helping the traveler keep going.

I had such an experience once. The rain in winter was heavy and fast. The water soaked my feet, my trousers and clothes were all spared, and my hands were frozen. I felt like I was walking in a leaky freezer with nowhere to hide, but I remembered a noodle shop in front of me. The wonton soup and the hot chili sauce beckoned to me. At the moment, the water vapor on my body was also boiled, and the weak pace gave birth to speed, and the heat of hope drove me to step forward. I had a similar experience. The rain in winter was heavy. Everything on me were wet. My hands were frozen. It seemed that I was walking in the leaking freezer, nowhere to hide. But I thought of a restaurant that was not far away from me. The hot wonton noodles and spicy sauce were waving to me. At the moment, the wet was gone and weak steps were speeding up. The temperature of the hope was going up.

I don't know what your "Xinghua Village" is? We need a motivation that motivates us to keep going, like my bowl of noodles can drive away the chill. It is hoped that in every need, everyone can find their own "Xinghua Village". What is your “Apricot Blossom Village”? We need our own Apricot Blossom Village, something that can motivate us to go on our journey, like the noodles driving out the cold. Hope we can find our own “Apricot Blossom Village” whenever we are in need.