In China, Qingming Festival is underway. With a history of 2,500 years, it usually falls on April 4 or 5, and is also known as "Tomb-Sweeping Day" or the Pure Brightness Festival. People across China are enjoying a three-day public holiday, while carrying out a variety of customs to honor their ancestors.

"Qingming," meaning pure and bright in Chinese, comes as temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, indicating that it is a crucial time for plowing and sowing. The festival therefore has a close relationship with agriculture. 

For city folks, it is also the right time to stretch out in nature and enjoy the greenery and blossoms that early April has bestowed. 

Flying kites is also an important custom enjoyed by both the young and old during Qingming. In the past, people would cut the string to let the kite fly freely. It is believed that doing so brings about good luck and even banishes disease. 

Traditionally in China, willows are considered magical... so on Qingming, people wear soft willow branches and also place them on front doors in a bid to ward off evil spirits. 

And of course, no celebration is complete without delicious food. With this in mind, sweet green rice balls are a popular Qingming dish. They are made of a mixture of glutinous rice powder and green vegetable juice, stuffed with sugared bean paste. 

Qingming Festival is a time to celebrate new lives in spring and enjoy the vitality of nature. Meanwhile it is a memorial day to commemorate the deceased. That’s why it is also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day.

Traditionally, people show respect to their ancestors by visiting their graves and adding fresh soil. They would also offer food and rice, and burn incense and paper money. Nowadays though, there's a fresher take on things... with people forgoing the rituals to instead present fresh flowers.