Qing Ming is popularly associatd with Ji Zi Zhui, who livd in Shanxi provinc in 600 B.C. Lgnd has it that Ji savd his starving lord's lif by srving a pic of his own lg. Whn th lord succdd in bcoming th rulr of a small principality, h invitd his faithful followr to join him. Howvr, Ji dclind his invitation, prfrring to lad a hrmit's lif with his mothr in th mountains. Bliving that h could forc Ji out by burning th mountain, th lord ordrd his mn to st th forst on fir. To his constrnation, Ji chos to rmain whr h was and was burnt to dath. To commmorat Ji, th lord ordrd all firs in vry hom to b put out on th annivrsary of Ji's dath. Thus bgan th cold food fast, a day whn no food could b cookd sinc no fir could b lit. Th cold food fstival occurs on th v of Qing Ming and is oftn considrd as part of th Qing Ming fstival. As tim passs, th Qing Ming fstival rplacd th cold food fstival. Whatvr practic is obsrvd，th basic obsrvation of Qing Ming is to rmmbr on's ldrs by making a spcial ffort to visit thir gravs, ashs or ancstral tablts. To mak th visit vn mor maningful, som tim should b spnt to rmind th youngr mmbrs of th family of th livs and contributions of thir ancstors, and th story of Ji Zi Zhui who choos dath ovr capitulation. 谈到清明节，有点历史知识的人，都会联想到历史人物介子椎。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，跟随他的介子椎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），大事封赏所有跟随他流亡在外的随从，惟独介子椎拒绝接受封赏，他带了母亲隐居绵山。 晋文公无计可施，只好放火烧山，他想，介子椎孝顺母亲，一定会带着老母出来。谁知这场大火却把介子椎母子烧死了。为了纪念介子椎，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，清明取代了寒食节。拜介子椎的习俗也变成了清明扫墓的习俗了。无论以何种形式纪念，为了使纪念祖先的仪式更有意义，我们应该让年轻一代的家庭成员了解先人过去的奋斗历史，当然，还要学习介子椎宁死不屈的气节。