Archaeologists in Xi’an have excavated a high-ranking Tang Dynasty tomb containing a set of "gilded-seed" ritual trays and a silk scroll detailing festival logistics. The scroll provides a rare "menu" and procedural guide for the Qingming Festival, including instructions for cold-food preparation and tomb-sweeping etiquette. This is the most complete written record of early medieval festival management discovered to date.
The trays contained remnants of preserved willow leaves and seasonal grains, which were central to the "Willow-Wearing" rites of the era. Scholars at the Shaanxi Archaeology Institute believe this discovery proves that the formal state and familial structures of the festival were fully codified by the 8th century, emphasizing its role in social stability and filial piety.