Apart from being one of the Twenty-four Solar Terms, Qingming is also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, when people honor their ancestors and deal with the emotions of losing loved ones. Qingming is the only Chinese public holiday that is also one of the Twenty-four Solar Terms.

Ancient texts from Huainanzi (Master Huainan) during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) indicate that "15 days after the Spring Equinox ... the clear and bright wind arrives", which explained the name of the term Qingming. Another line passed down from an ancient book titled Suishi Baiwen says, "all growing things are clean and pure at this time, hence the name Qingming".

There are some ancient Chinese poems depicting Qingming that are still learned and recited by Chinese people today. One of the most well known is titled Qingming, by the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Du Mu, which goes:"A drizzling rain falls like tears on the day of Qingming. The mourner's heart is going to break on his way. Where can a wine shop be found to drown his sad hours? A cowherd points to a cot amid apricot flowers."