TheColdFoodFestivalisatraditionalChineseholidaycelebratedforthreeconsecutivedaysstarting

thedaybeforetheQingmingFestivalintheChineseCalendar,whichis105dayafterWinterSolstice.
ItissaidthatColdFoodFestivalwasoriginatedfromamannamedJieZitui.Hefirstsavehislord
whentheywereinexile,butafterdiedinafirethatwasaccidentallysetbyhislord.Thefirewasset
becausethelordtriedtoforceJieZituitocomeoutfromthemountainsandtakeanofficialpost.SinceJie
Zituiwantedtoisolatehimselffromthedisorderedsociety,herefusedtocomeout,andhethuswas
burnedtodeath.Hislordfeltshamed,sothefestivalwassetbyhislordtocommemoratehisdeathand
selflessnessdevotion.Asaresult,firewasbannedthatday,peopleeatunheatedfoodwithoutexception.
SteamedspringrollisatraditionalfoodwhichderivesfromtheColdFoodFestival,theingredients
includesuchascarrots,cabbage,celery,pork,peanutpowderandsoon,andthenrolledupwithavery
thincrust.AlthoughpeopleinTaiwanusuallydontcelebratethisfestivalnowadays,steamedspringroll
isstillawellbelovedfood,anditcanbeseeninmanynightmarketsorfoodstands.
AnotherwellknownfestivalwhichisonlyonedayaftertheColdFoodFestivalistheQingming
Festival.TheQingmingFestival,alsoknownastheTombSweepingDay,isoneofthefourbiggest
festivalsinChineseculture.Peoplevisitthecolumbariumorgravesoftheirancestorstopraybeforethem.
Theysweepthegraves,offergreatfoodandburnjosspaper,whichisalsoknownastheghostmoney
totheirancesstors.Itisatimewhenpeopleshowtheirrespectandhonortheirancestors.Therefore,we
couldseethatourforefathersplayaveryimportantroleinChineseculture.Wearingwilllowbeanches
aroundourneckisalsoapopularcustompracticedontheQingmingFestival.Itissaidthatwillow
brancheswardoffevilspiritswanderingontheQingmingFestivalandkeepbadthingsaway.
Nowadays,flyingkites,playingtugofwar,goingonafamilyfieldtrip,etc.areotherwayspeople
celebratetheQingmingFestival.However,boththeColdFoodFestivalandtheQuingingFestivalshow
greatesteemtoourbelovedancestor.