China News Service Client, Beijing, March 20 (Reporter Shangguan Yun) "On the fourth day of mid-spring, the spring is at the middle of the equinox." In the twenty-four solar terms, the vernal equinox is a relatively important time node, and folks spread "eat spring vegetables", etc. Lots of interesting customs.
The "vertical egg" game, proofreading weights and measures... How much do you know about the Spring Equinox?
What are the three equinoxes?
The vernal equinox is one of the twenty-four solar terms. As the temperature gradually rises, many places are warm.
Data map: Beijing Ritan Park reproduces the ritual ceremony of the Ritan sacrifice in the Qing Dynasty.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Jia Tianyong
In ancient China, the vernal equinox was divided into three phases: "First, the mysterious bird arrives; second, the thunder will make a sound; and third, the electricity will start." Here, "Xuanniao" refers to the swallow. When the vernal equinox comes, the swallow begins to fly back from the south, and it rains. There will be thunder and lightning in the sky.
In addition, the flower letter represented by the three waits of the spring equinox is: "First wait for begonia, second for pear flower, third for magnolia."
It is an ancient seasonal custom to hold a grand ceremony in a specific location according to the arrival time of the solar term.
"Book of Rites" records: "Sacrificing the sun on the altar." According to Kong Yingda's commentary, it is "the spring equinox".
The sacrificial ceremony is often quite solemn.
In the Qing Dynasty Pan Rongbi's "Jisheng Jisheng" mentioned: "The spring equinox sacrificing the sun and the autumn equinox sacrificing the moon are the grand ceremonies of the country, and scholars and people are not allowed to worship."
Homestay expert Wang Juan introduced that in the past, the rituals of sacrificing the sun were mainly official behaviors, and folks generally worship ancestors during the spring equinox, but this custom is not common.
In addition, the Spring Equinox is a solar term, not a traditional festival.
What is the principle of the "vertical egg" game?
Among the many customs of the spring equinox, "vertical eggs" and "eating spring vegetables" are more interesting.
"Eggs Upright" is a popular game: take a fresh egg, try a few more, and finally figure out how to put it upright on the table, which is a success.
In this regard, Wang Juan said that in the past, people believed that eggs were related to the growth and reproduction of all things in spring, and the vernal equinox was equal to day and night, which was more conducive to finding a balance point to stand up the eggs, so there was such a custom in the vernal equinox.
Data map: Children experience the customs of painting eggs and laying eggs on the vernal equinox.
Photo by Meng Delong
In addition, the ancients will also proofread the weights and measures on this day, in order to take the meaning of fairness.
During the spring equinox, there are also people who send pictures of spring cattle from house to house.
There is a saying that the picture is printed on Erkai red or yellow paper on the lunar solar terms throughout the year, and the pattern of farmers ploughing the fields is also printed.
The person sending the picture will also say some auspicious words about spring ploughing.
In addition, some people will cook some glutinous rice balls to eat, and then cook more than ten glutinous rice balls without "stuffing" and put them on the field, euphemistically called "sticky sparrow mouth", to prevent them from destroying crops.
"In terms of diet, some places eat 'spring vegetables with scrambled eggs', and the spring vegetables here are usually shepherd's purse." Wang Juan mentioned that the ancients believed that eating spring vegetables also embodies people's good wishes for a safe and happy family.
"The spring equinox is a good year with rain"
In fact, the vernal equinox has many nicknames in ancient times, such as "day and night", "day and night", "mid-spring moon" and so on.
According to the record in "History of the Ming Dynasty·Li Yi": "The divider is the point where the yellow and the red intersect, and the sun travels here, and the day and night are equally divided." The spring equinox with rain is a good year".
In addition to food and games, there are many other customs surrounding the characteristics of the vernal equinox.
However, with the passage of time, some folk customs and sacrificial activities that originally belonged to the spring equinox gradually merged into other important activities related to spring.
Wang Juan mentioned that in the twenty-four solar terms, the spring equinox is not as important as the winter solstice and Qingming, but it is also a relatively critical time node, which is of great significance to agricultural production.
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