According to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha, in 2026, the Thanh minh period starts from 01:40 on April 5th and ends at 8:39 on April 20th of the solar calendar, lasting for 15 days.
The first day of this tiết khí falls on Sunday, April 5th of the solar calendar (January 18th of the lunar calendar). This is a period associated with the operating cycle of nature, and also carries important cultural significance in the life of Vietnamese people when aiming to commemorate ancestors, take care of graves and maintain family order.
According to the book "Vietnamese Traditional Worshiping - Rituals and Ritual Practices" (World Publishing House), the Thanh Minh period is one of 24 qi periods, passing through the Lap Xuan period, the Vu Thuy period, the Kinh Trap period and then the Xuan Phan period, to the 5th period which is the Thanh Minh period.
During this time, the most common activity is tomb sweeping, including clearing weeds, repairing graves, changing flowers and lighting incense to commemorate. Besides religious elements, this is also an opportunity for family members to reunite, strengthen kinship and remind about the morality of "drinking water, remembering the source".
However, throughout the Purification period, some notes and taboos are also raised.
According to feng shui expert Nguyen Song Ha, in the period from April 5th to April 20th, people should limit carrying out major tasks such as starting construction, groundbreaking, opening, registering, weddings or important signing. Priority should be given to spiritual activities rather than initial tasks.
When visiting graves, safety and solemnity should be put first. You should choose accessible areas, avoid deserted places with few passersby.
During cleaning, it is necessary to maintain a respectful attitude, not to disturb the surrounding environment, and at the same time pay attention not to trample on other people's graves or affect offerings.
Some other notes are also mentioned such as pregnant women or those in unstable health should limit participating in tomb sweeping.
After returning, folk remedies such as stepping over fire or using grapefruit leaf water can be performed to ensure health. In addition, taking photos in the tomb area is also not recommended to maintain the solemnity of the spiritual space.
