OpinionChinese youth are embracing Ching Ming with cultural confidence

And yet, in the past few years, I have witnessed a subtle but meaningful shift in how this tradition is being observed, especially among young people.

It began almost accidentally, while scrolling through social media during the festival. Instead of the usual images of family grave visits, I started seeing posts from young people travelling – sometimes across provinces – to places tied not to their own ancestors but to figures from history. Ancient tombs, cultural relic sites and memorials to long-departed poets, generals and thinkers became unexpected destinations for this traditionally familial ritual.

What struck me most was the way these visits were being carried out. They were not cold, distant acts of historical tourism. On the contrary, they were deeply personal and often surprisingly warm.

They brought fine wine for Li Bai, the famous Tang dynasty poet known for his romantic and bold style, to pay homage to his talent embodied in the line “writing a hundred poems after drinking a dou of wine”. They sent painkillers to Cao Cao (AD155-220), a great politician and military strategist who is said to have suffered from frequent headaches.