Children's Day coincides with Tomb Sweeping Day, one of the oldest traditions in Taiwan. Tomb Sweeping Day, or QingMing Jie, is a day dedicated to paying respects to ancestors by cleaning graveyards and making sure that ancestors are still "living well" by offering ghost money, snacks, and liquor. Because the two holidays are celebrated on the same day, the government allows for a four-day weekend. Families take advantage of this long weekend by taking trips to the mountains or to the beaches of Taiwan. My friend and I spent the holiday in Kenting, a beautiful national park, considered to be the equivalent of Hawaii in the United States.
