The Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, is observed in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on April 5. This traditional Chinese festival has its roots in the ancient Cold Food Festival, established to commemorate Jie Zhitui, a loyal servant who died in a forest fire. During Qingming, families visit the graves of their ancestors to clean and sweep the sites, worship their ancestors, and make ritual offerings of food, including the special qingtuan dumplings made from glutinous rice and barley grass, which are traditionally prepared for this occasion. The festival has been celebrated by the Han Chinese for over 2.5 millennia and was declared a public holiday in mainland China in 2008. In Taiwan, the holiday aligns with the date of the Spring equinox, reflecting its cultural significance.