The Spring Equinox，

The Spring Equinox, is the fourth solar term in the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms.

The equinox of the Spring Equinox has two meanings. One is the "equal division of day and night". On the day of the Spring Equinox, the sun directly hits the earth’s equator and the length of day and night are equal.

Another meaning of the Spring Equinox is the "equal division of season". Since ancient times, the period of spring is from the solar term ”Beginning of Spring” to the “Beginning of Summer”, and the day of Spring Equinox is in the middlemost of 2 solar terms, and evenly divides the spring.

In addition, what are the cultural customs of the Spring Equinox? Let's take a look together.

         立鸡蛋

Making egg stand

"Comes the Spring Equinox, stand the eggs." This spring-heralding event with a thousand-year-old tradition is also very popular on the Spring Equinox.

It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand, he will have good luck in the future. Some believe that the Spring Equinox is the best time to practice this game because on this day the axis of the earth is relatively balanced against the orbital plane of the earth’s rotation around the sun, which makes it easier to erect an egg.

         

  吃春菜

Eating spring vegetables

In some areas, eating springtime vegetables is a very common custom on the Spring Equinox. The spring vegetables in different places are not the same.

'Spring vegetables' refers to seasonal vegetables that differ from place to place. The ancient teachings in the Chinese classic, Huangdi Neijing, suggest that people eat seasonal foods to help preserve health and bring good luck.

     祭太阳神

Holding ritual

On the Spring Equinox, locals in Beijing have a tradition of worshipping the god. This tradition is called the "Zhonghe Festival", and the "sun cake" made of wheat and sugar is the main tribute.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368－1644) and Qing Dynasty (1636—1912), the imperial family held this ritual in Ritan park every Spring Equinox. The Ritan park gradually became a common place for public recreation. However, the practice still exists among the public.

      犒劳耕牛

Rewarding cattle

There is an old saying in the folk that every minute on the day of Spring Equinox is worth a thousand bucks. Before the farmers start their new year's labor works, they always reward the most important "labor"-cattle. The custom of rewarding cattle is very common in the southern regions of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

 As the Spring Equinox comes, farm work starts and both the farmers and the cattle start to become busy. Farmers will reward cattle with sticky rice balls to express their gratefulness. Meanwhile, people will also make sacrifice to birds, to thank them for bringing signals for farm work and to ask them not to eat grains later in the year.

Half of spring has pasted

The weather is getting warmer

All good things are coming to you and

            say hi~      

来源：中国日报

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