Winter Clothing Festival: A day of remembrance and warmth

chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-11-20 15:54

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The Hanyi Festival, also known as Winter Clothing Festival, Ancestor Worship Festival, or October Memorial Day, is an important traditional day of remembrance in China. It is observed annually on the first day of the tenth month of the traditional Chinese calendar. This year, the festival falls on Nov 20.

Together with Qingming Festival in spring and the Zhongyuan Festival in summer, it is one of China's three "ghost festivals". On this day, the living send warmth and care to their departed loved ones through solemn yet heartfelt rituals, expressing love, remembrance and filial devotion.

The origins of the festival trace back to the Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-256 BC), when people practiced the custom of bestowing winter garments. The Book of Songs records the line, "In the ninth month, winter clothing is granted", reminding people to prepare for the coming cold. Over time, the first day of the tenth month became known as the Festival of Bestowing Clothes, reflecting ancient concerns for warmth and well-being.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang reinforced this practice by conducting a formal clothing-granting ceremony at court and offering warm red bean porridge to officials.

The custom gained emotional depth through the legend of Lady Meng Jiang, who traveled thousands of miles to bring winter clothes to her husband building the Great Wall—only to learn he had died. In grief, she burned the clothes she had prepared, letting the flames carry her love to him in the afterlife. Her story inspired later generations to burn paper garments for their own ancestors.

Thus emerged the enduring tradition of "burning winter clothes on the first day of the tenth month".

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Customs

The central custom of the festival is burning paper winter clothing. In the past, this ritual carried strong symbolism and emotional weight. Families prepared sheets of brightly colored paper—often red, blue, or yellow—and cut them into the shapes of cotton-padded jackets and trousers. These paper garments were stitched with thread, decorated with simple patterns, or even inscribed with the names of departed family members. Some were stuffed with cotton to represent real warmth.

On the festival day, people carried these paper clothes, along with incense and offerings, to their ancestors' graves, sending blessings and comfort to loved ones in the other world.

Today, while this custom continues, many communities also promote eco-friendly alternatives such as virtual memorials, offering flowers, or using natural, biodegradable items.

In some regions, people also enjoy special foods on this day, such as red bean rice—believed to ward off evil and bring blessings—and glutinous rice cakes. Families may also prepare fried foods or dumplings as offerings, symbolizing abundance and unity.

Cultural significance

The Winter Clothing Festival is more than a ritual—it reflects the deep Chinese values of honoring ancestors, remembering one's roots, and maintaining continuity between past and present. As autumn fades into winter, people send warmth to those who came before them, strengthening a spiritual bond that transcends life and death. The festival serves as a reminder to respect the past, cherish loved ones, and carry forward the traditions that shape cultural identity.