The Custom of Scattering Paper during Qingming Festival
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After establishing the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang (Emperor Gaozu of Han) wanted to pay his respects to his parents who had passed away. Because of the war, none of the tombs were taken care of and it was difficult to tell which tomb belonged to whom. Liu Bang searched hard for his parents’tomb, but he could not find it. He felt very sad.
In the end, Liu Bang tore a piece of paper into many small pieces, held them in his hands and announced, “Father, Mother, I am going to scatter these pieces of paper. Please guide them to your tomb and do not let the wind blow them away.” When Liu Bang scattered the pieces of paper they settled upon a tomb and could not be blown away by the wind. Liu Bang took a closer look at the tomb, and discovered his parents’ names on it.
Generations later, people copy what Liu Bang did. After praying at their ancestors’ tombs, they would leave pieces of paper on the tomb or tie paper to nearby trees to show how much they miss their parents. This is how the “hanging paper” tradition of the Qingming Festival came about.
