The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Qingming (Chinese: 清明), the 5th solar term, starts this year on April 5.
The meaning of Qingming in Chinese is to describe the weather is "clear/pure" and "bright" during this period. Temperatures begin to rise and rainfall increases, making it a crucial time for plowing and sowing in the spring. Qingming is not only a solar term but also a festival marked as tomb-sweeping day when people pay respect to the lost ones.
During the Qingming Festival, people in Huanggang, Hubei Province, traditionally eat cudweed rice pancakes, a seasonal snack deeply rooted in local customs. Cudweed rice pancake is a traditional glutinous rice cake made with wild cudweed, which is at its tender best in early spring. The herb is mixed with glutinous rice flour, kneaded into dough, and often filled with sweet or savory fillings such as red bean paste, shredded radish, or bamboo shoots. The pancakes are then pan-fried or steamed until fragrant and chewy. With a slightly grassy aroma and a soft, sticky texture, the cudweed rice pancake is not only a festive treat for Qingming but also a nostalgic taste of spring and home for many Huanggang locals.