Day of the Dead vs Qingming Festival

Celebrations for Dios de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, take place from October 31 to November 2 each year in Mexico and in places with a large Mexican community.

Mexicans believe that death is not the end, but the start of another stage of life. That makes the Day of the Dead a festive affair: It's an opportunity for the living to help their deceased loved ones as they go on their final journey.

Candy skulls, Mexican marigolds, and ofrendas - offerings - are the core markers of Day of the Dead.

The history of the event can be traced back some 3,000 years to the Aztecs and other Nahua people living in what is now central Mexico.

The holiday is similar to China's Qingming holiday, which takes place in the spring. Both honor the dead. But there's one distinct difference.

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By Cindy Martin based in Los Angeles