Tomb Sweeping Day is popularly associated with Jie Zitui, who lived in Shanxi province in 600 B.C..
清明节通常与公元前600年居住在山西的介子推联系在一起.
In the spring and Autumn period more than two thousand years ago, the lord fled and lived a hard life.Legend has it that Jie saved his starving lord"s life by serving a piece of his own leg. When the lord succeeded in becoming the ruler of a small principality, he invited his faithful follower to join him.
在两千多年以前的春秋时代 ,晋国公子重耳逃亡在外,生活艰苦,据历史记载,跟随他的介子推不惜从自己的腿上割下一块肉让他充饥.后来,重耳回到晋国,作了国君（即晋文公,春秋五霸之一）,大肆封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从.
However, Jie declined his invitation, preferring having a hermit"s life with his mother in the mountains.
惟独介子推拒绝接受封赏,他带了母亲隐居绵山.
Believing that he could force Jie out by burning the mountain, the lord ordered his men to set the forest on fire.
晋文公无计可施,只好放火烧山,他想,介子推孝顺 母亲,一定会带着老母出来.
To his consternation, Jie chose to remain in the mountain and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires in every home to be put out on the anniversary of Jie"s death. Thus began the "cold food feast", a day when no food could be cooked since no fire could be lit.
令晋文公惊愕的是,介子推仍然选择待在山中以至于被活活烧死.为了纪念介子推,晋文公下令每年的这一天,禁止生火,家家户户只能吃生冷的食物,这就是寒食节的来源.
The "cold food" festival occurs on the eve of the Qingming Festival and is often considered as part of it.
寒食节是在清明节的前一天,古人常把寒食节的活动延续到清明,久而久之,清明取代了寒食节.
As time passes, Tomb Sweeping Day replaced the "cold food" festival.
随着时间的推移，清明节慢慢得取代了寒食节.
Whatever practice is observed,the basic observation of Qing Ming is to remember one"s elders by making a special effort to visit their graves, ashes or ancestral tablets. To make the visit even more meaningful, some time should be spent to let young generation of family members know ancestors" past struggles and contributions, and the story of Jie Zitui who chose death over capitulation.
无论什么习俗，清明的基本观察是通过特别的努力去拜访长辈的坟墓、骨灰或祖坟来缅怀长辈。为了让这次访问更有意义，我们应该花点时间让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先辈过去的奋斗和贡献，以及介子推宁死不屈的故事.
