杜牧: 清明 Du Mu: Qingming

华人的清明节是一个到先人墓前怀念与祭拜的日子。由于还是春天，扫墓完毕后，全家人就可以趁这个机会到郊外去游玩。当天郊游的习俗可以追溯到千多年前的唐朝(618-907) 。
中国文学里也时常提到清明。其中最出名的可能是杜牧的‘清明’诗了。
杜牧(803—852)是唐朝著名诗人，他的抒情与浪漫绝句诗最为人所称道。828年通过科举考试而中进士，只做过不少小官。他就以诗来发泄他的挫折感。和其他的文人官吏一样，杜牧精通书法，绘画，文章与诗词。
这首诗里，诗人单独一个人步行在春雨连绵不绝的陌生地，倍感寂寞、忧郁与失落。他的困扰与沮丧几达崩溃。但是，他不甘寂寞与苦恼，为了活动自己，他要找个酒家来接触心情开朗的人与酒。无忧无虑的儿童对他指向杏花村。这首诗以清爽与欢愉的远景来结束。
杜牧：清明
清明时节雨纷纷，
路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有，
牧童遥指杏花村。
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For the Chinese, Qinming, the Chinese All Souls Day, is a day to remember and honour one's ancestors at grave sites. Since it is still springtime, people also take the opportunity to enjoy themselves in the countryside after finished sweeping and weeding the ancestral graves with the entire family. This habit of taking an excursion on this day can be traced back to Tang (618-907) Dynasty, which is more than a thousand years ago.
Qingming is frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. Among these, the most famous one is probably Du Mu’s poem ‘Qingming’.
Du Mu (803—852) was a famous poet of the Tang dynasty and is best remembered for his lyrical and romantic quatrains. After passing the imperial examination and obtained Jinshi in 828, he only held a series of minor official posts. His frustration is reflected in his poetry. Like most scholar-officials, he was adept in the art of calligraphy and painting as well as essays and poetry.
In the poem, the poet was walking alone in the ceaseless spring drizzles in a strange place, feels all the more lonely, melancholy and dismayed. He is so troubled and disheartened that he is on the brink of breaking down. However, he won’t lie down under loneliness and distress. Stirring himself up, he hurries along to find a tavern for a drink so that he can mix with cheerful people and wine. So the carefree boy points to the apricot woods. The poem ends on a broad vision graced with freshness and delight.
Du Mu: Qingming
The ceaseless drizzles drips all the dismal day,
So broken-hearted fares the traveller on the way.

When asked where could be found a tavern bower,

A cowboy points to yonder village of the apricot flower.