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The Best of Spring: Over 10 Beautiful Poems About the Thanh Minh Festival

Immerse yourself in a collection of exquisite and profound poems about the Thanh Minh Festival in March. These verses will stir your soul and evoke a deep connection to your homeland, ancestral roots, and beloved elders.

Administrator

10 July, 2024

The Tomb-sweeping Festival usually falls between April 4-5 (after the end of the spring equinox) and ends around April 20-21 (at the start of the Grain Rain solar term). It is a day for descendants to visit the graves of their ancestors. Let’s take a look at some meaningful poems about the Thanh Minh Festival in March and turn our hearts towards our homeland and ancestors.

1 THANH MINH – Nguyen Dinh Hung

Spring is already halfway through,

Let the drizzling rain and humid air give way to dryness,

As the clouds part and the sky clears.

Families excitedly embark on their journey for the Tomb-Sweeping Festival,

Paying homage to their ancestors and offering incense with reverence.

Fulfilling the duties of filial piety,

Bridging the gap between the living and the departed,

Easing the longing in their hearts.

Gathered together, the family rejoices,

With laughter filling the air,

While spring flowers continue to bloom,

Adding a touch of youth to life.

Oh, how I long for my hometown during this festival!

THANH MINH – Nguyen Dinh Hung

2 CẢM TÁC NGÀY THANH MINH – Huong Mrs. Le

I returned to my hometown during the Thanh Minh Festival,

Where the spring rain gently soaked the green grass.

I lit incense for my departed loved ones,

And their familiar faces appeared in the curling smoke.

This year, I am alone during the festival,

But I know my brother is thinking of them from afar,

Bowing his head in remembrance on this day.

Come back to our hometown, where Tràng An’s beauty remains untouched,

And someone awaits your return.

Here, a fragment of the moon’s vow sneaks through the distance between us.

Ninh Binh, April 12, 2019

3 NHỜ GIÓ ĐƯA LỜI – Dinh Thi Hien

On the first day of the third month, during the Tomb-Sweeping Festival,

We pay respects to our ancestors and departed loved ones.

May they find peace in the land of the Buddha,

Free from worries and cares.

In the past, our parents prayed for us,

Wishing for their children and grandchildren to be well-behaved and successful.

Now, as a grandmother myself, I find solace in knowing

That my parents can rest easy, their wishes fulfilled.

Today, I long to visit their graves,

But circumstances keep me away… I can only look from afar.

From afar, I send my thoughts with the wind,

For I am stranded in a foreign land.

Oh, my beloved ancestors and parents!

I offer this incense with a sincere heart,

Praying that you will accept my humble offering.

May you find joy and peace, and in turn, bring me happiness.

April 5, 2019

Poem by: Dinh Thi Hien

NHỜ GIÓ ĐƯA LỜI – Dinh Thi Hien

4 THANH MINH – Thơ Hong Vu

As summer arrives, the sun shines brightly across the sky,

But our home feels empty without the presence of our mother.

Our longing for her knows no bounds,

And during the Tomb-Sweeping Festival, my father returns to her side.

In a realm of dreams, they are united,

Where green grass, white flowers, and whispering winds sing them a lullaby.

My mother rests in eternal peace,

While my father finds solace in the mortal realm.

Though a hundred years may pass, they will always be together.

With a smile, they erase all sorrow,

And my father is never alone, for he has me and his grandchildren by his side.

He is our bedrock, our mountain,

Casting his shadow to shelter us from harm.

The wind rustles through the mountains and streams,

Carrying the fragrant scent of my mother back to my father.

May 5, 2019

Dedicated to my father

5 THANH MINH – Ho Viet Binh

The figure of a loved one remains here,

Having left the mortal realm for a new destination.

During the Tomb-Sweeping Festival, their descendants pay a visit,

And they are asked to rest in peace, with dreams as sweet as honey.

Drifting clouds shield them from the sun and rain,

While the rustling wind plays a beautiful melody.

May the sacred waterfall bestow blessings upon humanity,

Fulfilling their duties, living in harmony, and experiencing abundance.

Poem and photo by: HVB

THANH MINH – Ho Viet Binh

6 THANH MINH VIẾNG THĂM CHA – Truong Tuyet Anh

I stand here, lost in thought, gazing at the ocean waves,

Wondering where they have taken my father to rest.

Decades have passed since the fateful day,

When the enemy’s terror sent the “Unnumbered Ship” to a watery grave.

The once clear blue sea turned red,

As it absorbed the blood of my father and his comrades.

In my dreams, I see angry waves rising,

Exploding with fury, a powerful force unleashed.

My father and his fellow soldiers are heroes,

Who will live forever in the hearts of our nation.

I vow to follow in my father’s footsteps,

With unwavering dedication to building a strong Vietnam.

During the Tomb-Sweeping Festival, I join the boats,

Offering incense and immortal flowers in remembrance.

I bow my head in respect and pray for my father’s soul,

Asking that he finds peace in heavenly paradise.

April 10, 2019.

7 ĐÊM QUA CON MƠ – Tran Thanh Nhan

Mother, last night I dreamed of you,

Returning from a distant realm.

It was the third month, during the Tomb-Sweeping Festival,

And I brought a bouquet of white flowers to your grave.

The grass was so green, and you rested peacefully,

As the distant sound of birds harmonized with the mist and smoke.

The rain in the third month is gentle,

Leaving no trace on our clothes, but enough to moisten our eyelashes.

Since you left, our longing and sadness have not faded,

And Mother, you remain awake through the long nights,

Saying nothing, but your heart is heavy with grief.

You could not have known that green leaves would fall

Even as golden leaves remain on the tree.

This mortal world is but a temporary dwelling,

So Mother, please find comfort in letting go.

Your grave rests on a windy hill,

Where you answered the call of your ancestors.

The vastness of the universe surrounds you,

As the scent of burning incense fills the air.

Poem by: Thanh Nhan

Ho Chi Minh City, April 13, 2019

ĐÊM QUA CON MƠ – Tran Thanh Nhan

8 LỄ THANH MINH – Pham Quang Thu

I returned for the Tomb-Sweeping Festival,

Answering the call of my soul.

My father’s grave lies on the riverbank,

Surrounded by xuyen chi flowers that fill my heart with sadness.

Father, the thunder rumbles in the distance,

And the sun and moon bear witness to your journey.

I call out to you, but you are nowhere to be found.

Your departure has left our family in sorrow, Father.

I light incense for you,

And with green grass, I cover your soul to keep you warm.

May you forever rest in the realm of the immortals,

As the golden sun sets on your grave this afternoon.

9 THANH MINH LẠI NHỚ ĐẾN KIỀU – Nguyen Dinh Cuong

“In the third month, during the Thanh Minh Festival,”

So begins the famous poem by To Nhu,

Describing the long journey of a talented and beautiful woman.

Kieu’s life is filled with pain and suffering,

And even three hundred years later,

Her story still moves people to tears.

Nguyen Du’s words immortalize her tale,

And through his poetry, Kieu’s sorrow and injustice resonate through the ages.

April 9, 2019

Nguyen Dinh Cuong

THANH MINH LẠI NHỚ ĐẾN KIỀU – Nguyen Dinh Cuong

10 TẢO MỘ III – Ngo Quang Tuan

Today marks the Tomb-Sweeping Festival,

A time when we bid farewell to spring and gather under a gentle sun.

The smoke from our incense connects us,

As we tend to the green grass that covers your grave.

I tell you about our children,

And how your granddaughter chatters away throughout the day.

My worries continue to mount,

As I navigate life without you by my side.

I am no stranger to life’s storms,

But my heart yearns for love to steady the rocking boat.

The burning incense carries my prayers,

As I reflect on a life filled with contemplation.

May your eternal sleep be peaceful,

As the smoke from the incense carries my lullaby to the heavens.

Ngo Quang Tuan

11 THANH MINH – Tran Tich

The above poems capture the essence of the Tomb-Sweeping Festival and pay tribute to our ancestors. We hope these poems have touched your heart and brought you closer to your homeland.

Frequently asked questions

The Thanh Minh Festival is a traditional Vietnamese holiday that falls on the third day of the third lunar month. It is a time for people to honor their ancestors and remember the dead. The festival is an important part of Vietnamese culture and is often marked by family gatherings, offerings to ancestors, and visits to cemeteries.

During the Thanh Minh Festival, people often clean and decorate the graves of their ancestors, offering incense, flowers, and food as a sign of respect. It is also common for families to gather and enjoy a meal together, often including traditional dishes such as banh troi and banh chay. Some people also release paper lanterns on the river, symbolizing the release of the souls of the deceased.

The Thanh Minh Festival shares similarities with other cultural traditions, such as Mexico’s Day of the Dead and China’s Qingming Festival. All of these traditions involve honoring ancestors and remembering the dead, often with offerings and family gatherings.

There are many renowned poems that capture the essence of the Thanh Minh Festival, including ‘Spring Sorrow’ by Huy Can, ‘Thanh Minh’ by Han Mac Tu, and ‘On the Ancestral Grave’ by Ho Xuan Huong. These poems explore themes of grief, remembrance, and the beauty of nature during this solemn festival.

The poems about the Thanh Minh Festival convey the deep emotional connection that Vietnamese people have with their ancestors and the cultural importance of honoring the dead. They often describe the beauty of nature during spring, the sadness of loss, and the comfort found in remembering and celebrating the lives of those who have passed away.