Embracing Warmth: The Cold Clothes Festival's Legacy and Modernity

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  An old book is opened with words "Winter Clothing Festival, October Dawn Festival, Ancestral Worship Festival" written on it. Some traditional sacrificial items like incense sticks, candles and fruits are placed beside it.
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  In ancient times, people were working in the fields. As the weather turns colder, they are preparing sacrificial items. Behind them is a golden rice field.
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  A mother is sitting at the table and sewing a cotton-padded clothes carefully for her child. There are fabrics and needles and threads beside her.
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  A family is standing in front of the ancestral tablets, respectfully offering sacrifices and lighting incense sticks and candles.
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  A family is sitting around the table. On the table are cold noodles, bean jelly and other cold foods. Everyone is smiling happily.
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  People are cleaning the ancestral graves with brooms and other tools. There are fresh flowers placed in front of the graves.
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  People are lighting paper-made winter clothes in an open space. The firelight reflects their pious faces.
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  A person is sitting in front of a computer. On the screen is a virtual cemetery. Beside it are some books and posters about the cultural inheritance of Winter Clothing Festival.
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  A mother is sitting at the table and sewing a cotton-padded clothes carefully for her child. There are fabrics and needles and threads beside her.

The Cold Clothes Festival, also known as the "October Day" or "Ancestor Worship Festival," is one of China's traditional festivals, usually celebrated on the first day of the tenth lunar month. This festival centers around preparing cold-resistant clothes and offering sacrifices to ancestors, reflecting the deep affection Chinese people have for their families and ancestors.

I. Historical Origin of the Cold Clothes Festival

The Cold Clothes Festival originated from ancient sacrificial activities and is closely related to the agricultural culture of ancient times. In ancient times, October was the season when the weather turned cold, and people prayed for the protection of their ancestors through the making of cold clothes and sacrificial activities.

II. Traditional Customs of the Cold Clothes Festival

1. Making Cold Clothes: Families prepare or make cold-resistant clothes for their members to welcome the cold winter.

2. Ancestor Worship: By worshipping ancestors, people express their remembrance and respect for their forebears and seek their blessings.

3. Eating Cold Food: In some areas, people eat cold dishes such as cold noodles and jelly noodles to show their mourning for ancestors.

4. Tomb Sweeping: Cleaning the ancestors' graves to show respect and remembrance.

5. Sending Cold Clothes: Burning paper-made cold clothes for ancestors, hoping they can stay warm in the afterlife.

III. Modern Evolution of the Cold Clothes Festival

With the development of the times, the ways of celebrating the Cold Clothes Festival are also evolving:

1. Online Commemoration: Many people choose to establish virtual cemeteries online for commemorative activities to adapt to the pace of modern life.

2. Community Activities: Communities organize activities to respect the elderly and care for vulnerable groups, promoting the traditional spirit of the Cold Clothes Festival.

3. Cultural Heritage: Through lectures, exhibitions, and other activities, the younger generation is educated to understand and inherit the culture of the Cold Clothes Festival.

IV. Cultural Significance of the Cold Clothes Festival

The Cold Clothes Festival is not only a festival for preparing for winter, but it also reflects the Chinese people's emphasis on family and their reverence for ancestors.