清明祭扫坟茔是和丧葬礼俗有关的节俗。据载，古代“墓而不坟”，就是说只打墓坑，不筑坟丘，所以祭扫就不见于载籍。后来墓而且坟，祭扫之俗便有了依托。秦汉时代，墓祭已成为不可或缺的礼俗活动。
《汉书.严延年传》载,严氏即使离京千里也要在清明“还归东海扫墓地”。就中国人祖先崇拜和亲族意识的发达、强固来看，严延年的举动是合情合理的。因此后世把上古没有纳入规范的墓祭也归入五礼之中：“士庶之家，宜许上墓，编入五礼，永为常式。”得到官方的肯定，墓祭之风必然大盛。
清明节是一个纪念祖先的节日。主要的纪念仪式是扫墓，扫墓是慎终追远、敦亲睦族及行孝的具体表现，基于上述意义，清明节因此成为华人的重要节日。
清明节是在仲春与暮春之交，也就是冬至后的106天。扫墓活动通常是在清明节的前10天或后10天。有些籍贯人士的扫墓活动长达一个月。
来源
谈到清明节，有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子推。据历史记载，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，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，做了国君（即晋文公，春秋五霸之一〕，大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子推拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山，不肯出来，
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。谁知这场大火却把介子推母子烧死了。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。
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，人们便将寒食与清明合而为一。现在，清明节取代了寒食节，拜介子推的习俗，也变成清明扫墓的习俗了。
Qingming Jisao tomb is and Funeral Customs the customs section. It contains the ancient "tomb without grave", that is only hit the pit, do not build Fenqiu, so Jisao not seen as set membership. Later tombs and graves, Jisao have the backing of the popular. Qin and Han times, Muji has become indispensable customs activities.
"Han. Yan Nian Biography" contains, YAN even thousands of miles have left Beijing in the Ching Ming "is also owned by the East China Sea grave manner." The Chinese sense of ancestor worship and kinship developed, strong point of view, serious sickness of the move is reasonable. Therefore not included in later generations the ancient norms Muji is also classified among the five ritual: "House Shishu, should promise on the grave, compiled Ru Wu Lai, Wing as routine." Obtain official recognition, Muji style must Dasheng .
Ching Ming festival is a commemoration of ancestors. The main ceremony was grave, grave is the reverence for his ancestors, family and filial London Fureai specific performance, on the significance of the Chinese Ching Ming Festival become an important holiday.
Ching Ming is the turn of the Nakaharu and late spring, which is 106 days after the winter solstice. Ching Ming grave-sweepers activity is usually after the first 10 days or 10 days. Some Native people of the grave events up to a month.
Source
On Ching Ming, a little historical knowledge of the people will think of historical figures Jie Zitui. According to historical records, two thousand years ago in the Spring and Autumn Period, son of Chong Er Jin Guogong exile and hard to follow his Jie Zitui willing to cut a piece from his leg meat, let him fill their stomachs. Then back to Jin Chong Er, did the monarch (the Lord Wen, and Evolution of one of the〕 event Fengshang all follow his exiled followers, and only refused to accept the Feng Shang Jie Zitui, with his mother in seclusion Mianshan, refused to out
Lord Wen do nothing but to set fire to the mountain, he thought, Jie Zitui filial mother will come out with a mother. Unexpectedly, the fire burned confused Jie Zitui mother. To commemorate Jie Zitui, lord ordered each year on this day, against fire, every family can only eat cold food, which is the source of the Cold Food Festival.
Cold Food Festival is the day before the Ching Ming Festival, the ancients often the Cold Food Festival activities continue to clear, over time, There is filth on Cold Food and Qingming into one. Now, the festival replaced the Cold Food Festival, thanks to Jie Zitui customs, has become the custom of the Ching Ming grave.
