Qinming Festival originated from Hanshi Day (literally, Day with cold food only), a memorial day for Jie Zitui, a historical character who died in 636 BC in the Spring and Autumn Period. He was one of many followers of Chong'er, the Duke Wen of the state of Jin in that period.

During Wen's 19 years of exile, they didn't have any food and Jie prepared some meat soup for Wen. Wen enjoyed it a lot and wondered where Jie got the soup. It turned out Jie had cut a piece of meat from his own thigh to make the soup. Wen was so moved he promised to reward him one day. However, Jie was not the type of person who sought rewards. Instead, he just wanted to help Wen to return to Jin to become Duke.

Once Wen became Duke, Jie resigned and stayed away from the Duke and moved into a forest with his mother. Duke Wen went to the forest, but couldn't find Jie. Heeding suggestions from his officials, Duke Wen ordered his men to set the forest on fire in hopes that Jie would come out. However, Jie and his mother died in the fire. Feeling remorseful, Duke Wen ordered three days without fire to honour Jie's memory. The county where Jie died is still called Jiexiu, meaning the place Jie rests forever.