Thanh Minh festival in Vietnamese people's mind

Thanh Minh is a time for family members to visit their deceased relatives' resting places. (Photo: VNA)

Thanh Minh is not really a big festival in Vietnam, but it is of great spiritual importance as it is a time for family members to visit their deceased relatives' resting places.

It is the name of the fifth solar term of the traditional lunisolar calendar which divides a year into 24 ones. Therefore, there is no fixed date but normally it falls between April 4 or April 5 to April 20 or April 21. This year, it falls on April 5 (the 15th day of the second lunar month).

During this festival, people often visit the graves of their deceased relatives, and clean the grave areas by picking off the wild grass and adding new earth.

While the elderly are busy praying for their deceased relatives at the graves, children are instructed to follow the practices as well.

Offerings are also prepared to worship the deceased, including flowers, cakes and candy, votive offerings, and incense sticks./.

VNA