Today is the beginning of spring: it is the beginning of spring, all things are revived, waiting for the flowers to bloom

News from this site on February 4th, today, we usher in the first of the twenty-four solar terms - the beginning of spring. The "beginning of spring" solar term is ushered in at 10:42 on February 4. The Beginning of Spring usually falls on February 3, 4, and 5 every year. The beginning of spring is also the beginning of spring. From the perspective of solar terms, we have entered the new spring.

There are three seasons at the beginning of spring. In the first period, the east wind thaws, caressing the mountains and rivers, warming every dark and cold corner; in the second period, the stinging insects begin to vibrate, accumulating thick and thin, and the land of thousands of miles is ushering in vitality; in the third period, the fish carry the ice, breaking through the gurgling green water, The wild ducks playing in the water are the first to detect the breath of spring.

There are two Beginnings of Spring in 2023. The first Beginning of Spring in 2023 is at 10:42 on February 4, 2023, the fourteenth day of the first lunar month in 2023; the second Beginning of Spring in 2023 is on 2024 February 4, 2020, 16:26:53, is the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month in 2023. The two Beginnings of Spring in 2023 are at the beginning and end of the lunar year. Sometimes there are two Beginnings of Spring in a year, and sometimes there is no Beginning of Spring in a year. The former year is called a Double Spring Year, and the latter is called a Springless Year or a Widow Year. This situation is actually related to the lunar calendar. A year in the lunar calendar is 10 to 11 days different from a year in the solar calendar. In order to make the lunar solar terms correspond to the seasons, leap months appeared. Generally, when there is a Double Spring Year, the next year (lunar calendar) will often be a No Spring Year (that is, there is no Beginning of Spring in the next year's lunar calendar. For example, if 2023 is a Double Spring Year, then there will be no Spring Year in the next lunar calendar in 2024. spring year).

▲ Picture from Cloud Calendar

Origin of Beginning of Spring

Although many young people nowadays People don’t pay much attention to the twenty-four solar terms. Most people just browse related articles. However, in ancient times when farming was the main focus, each solar term marked the beginning or end of a farming stage for farmers.

The whole year begins with spring, and the beginning of spring, as the beginning of spring, was even more valued in ancient times. On the day of the Beginning of Spring, the emperor personally led the three princes, nine ministers, and the princes and officials to the eastern suburbs to welcome the spring and pray for a good harvest. After returning, he should reward his ministers and issue orders to benefit the people. And this has become a Spring Festival activity that has been passed down for many years.

The origin of the Beginning of Spring solar term can be traced back to the "Lu Spring and Autumn Annals" in the late Warring States Period. In the "Twelve Months", there are already Beginning of Spring, Vernal Equinox, Beginning of Summer, Summer Solstice, Beginning of Autumn, Autumn Equinox, Beginning of Winter, The names of eight solar terms including the winter solstice.

climate at the beginning of spring

Although the fierce attack of cold air yesterday caused many places across the country to experience a sharp drop in temperature again, once the beginning of spring arrives, the temperature will usually gradually rise. With the arrival of the spring plowing season, busy farming will also begin in most parts of the country.

At the beginning of the Spring Festival, the south branch of East Asia’s westerly jet stream has begun to weaken, and the midwinter climate is almost over. However, the intensity and location of the north branch westerly jet stream have basically not changed, the Mongolian cold high pressure and the Aleutian low pressure are still relatively strong, and strong winds and cooling are still the main prevailing weather conditions. However, during the gap period under the influence of strong cold air, the frequency of southerly winds increases, accompanied by an obvious temperature rise.

Ancient activities:

Official activities

• ##A post about sending spring oxen in a county And the Beginning of Spring post: In the old custom, on the day before the Beginning of Spring, two artists would wear crowns and ribbons and be called Spring Officials. People shouting along the street: "Spring is coming", commonly known as "Herald of Spring". Regardless of whether they are scholars, farmers, workers, or businessmen, they must bow to the officials when they see them. A person stands in the field beating gongs and drums (looking for little boys wearing green clothes and green hats), singing the praises of welcoming the spring, and goes to every house to announce the spring, sending a picture of a spring cow or a greeting message from door to door (or a group of farmers beat gongs Playing drums invites children home to welcome the Spring Festival, and the folk prepare spring trays of fruits and wait for the arrival of spring). On this spring ox picture printed on red paper, there are printed the twenty-four solar terms of the year and people leading the ox to plow the fields. People call it "spring post". The purpose of this picture of sending a spring cow is to remind people that spring is their plan for the year, and they must work hard to farm and not miss the good spring.

• Second greeting the God of Jumang and scattering beans to ward off disasters: The cow-beating ceremony is performed by the county government and is described in detail in the old county annals: “Before the beginning of spring, there was a minister to greet the God of Jumang in the eastern suburbs. People in the city dress up and perform stories. Men and women of the people bring their children to watch the spring. When the earth cow passes, they spread it with beans and sesame, which is said to disperse acne and eliminate rash. On the first day of spring, worship the God of Mang (referring to the traditional earth god in charge of farming, also known as the God of Spring). God) Holy, whip the earth ox (an ox-shaped object made of clay, also known as the spring ox). At the end, the people fight for the earth to be placed in the livestock pens and to obtain the land for livestock breeding. It is a sunny day and hates rain. The song goes: But there is a sunny day at the beginning of spring. , farmers don’t plow the fields hard.” It means that on the day before the cattle hunting, the native cattle are placed in front of the east gate of the county, which is called “cattle standing”. Next to it, a dummy carrying farm tools and whipping the cattle should be set up. Become a "ploughman" to indicate the arrival of spring and prepare for farming matters in advance. If the "cultivator" stands in front of the ox, it means that the spring order has come early and he should prepare for plowing early; if the "cultivator" stands behind the ox, it means that the spring order is late; if the man and the cow walk side by side, the spring order is moderate. On the day of the Beginning of Spring, all government offices will offer meat and fruits in front of the Tu Niu, the God of Mang, and hold a grand "cow beating" ceremony at noon. The officials and the people beat drums, and the officials will whip the Tu Niu three times with red and green whips or willow branches, and then The subordinates and farmers took turns whipping the native cattle into smaller pieces to show people's love for spring. Afterwards, people laughed and grabbed the soil clods from the native cattle and took them home to the livestock pens, symbolizing the prosperity of the trough head. It is said that if the sky is sunny that day, all the people will be happy; if it rains at dawn, it means bad luck and indicates that the year will be bad.

• Three spring cattle drives: The day before the cattle hunting, the native cattle are placed in the eastern suburbs, called the standing cattle. Next to them, a dummy carrying a farm tool to whip the cattle is placed as a plowman, and then the farmers ask After worshiping the cows by beating drums and beating them, people took the soil clods from the cows home to the livestock pens to symbolize a good harvest and promote the reproduction of the cows.

##Appendix: Spring Ox, "Original Records of Things": "The Duke of Zhou began to make the earth ox in the beginning of spring, and built the earth ox to show the morning and evening of farming." The feudal rulers of later generations made this The ceremony of whipping the spring is held every day, and the spring ox is attracted and struck. The purpose of whipping spring is to encourage farming and develop production.

Folk activities

A spring outing (spring visit, parade): After the county activities, the folk were not to be outdone. They dressed up one after another and started to parade. At the front of the procession were people dressed as roosters, followed by a group of people carrying a huge image of a spring cow. After that, there were people dressed as shepherd boys holding cows, people dressed as big-headed dolls delivering spring peaches, and people dressed as swallows. Another important meaning is that after this spring outing, it is a signal to start outing. The period until the Dragon Boat Festival is a good time for spring outing (spring outing on the day of the Beginning of Spring is called Tanchun).

Two folk feed each other:

• Spring Niu: Folk artists make many small clay cows, called "Spring Niu". Sending them to various families is called "send spring".

• Spring Cow Picture: In some places, a picture of Spring Cow is posted on the wall on yellow paper. Yellow represents the land, and the spring cow represents farming. It is commonly known as the "Spring Cow Picture".

• Chunwa: It is customary in Xiangning and other places to make small dolls out of silk, called "Chunwa", and wear them on children.

Send congratulations to each other, which is called Spring Greetings

• Three-pasted spring ox: Use rice or paper to make a spring ox at home and place it on At home

• Four spring calligraphy and paintings are posted on the door: Every family puts up calligraphy and paintings on the door to welcome the spring. Paintings related to the word spring include wintersweet and welcome the spring.

• Five kinds of swallow's nests: Wear swallows' silk strips on flowers and trees

• Six kinds of winter jasmine: Plant winter jasmine in the yard

• Seven springs win Paste doors and windows: Women cut spring swallow hairpins with flowers and birds (or buy special spring swallow hairpins with flowers and birds) and use red paper to cut chickens and stick them on the door

Beginning of Spring Food

• Spring cake: Filling (radish, bean sprouts, beans, mainly)

• Spring plate: Mainly Vegetables, lettuce, melons, fruit cakes and sugar are placed on a plate to serve as a spring plate (or assembled into a plate) as a gift to relatives and friends or to eat by yourself to welcome the spring. There are mainly five types of food on the plate: fruits, vegetables, candies, cakes, and bait. The main vegetables include: bean sprouts, radishes, leeks, spinach, lettuce, beans, eggs, and shredded potatoes. Du Fu's "The Beginning of Spring": "On a spring day, a plate of thin lettuce is on the plate, and I suddenly recall the plum blossoms in the two capitals."

• Spring rolls (spring silkworms): "Sui Sui Guang Ji": "A wealthy family in the capital made noodle silkworms, and they called them 'Tanguan Silkworms.' Because they did it at the beginning of spring, they were also called 'Tanchun Silkworms.'"

• Biting Chun (eating radish): "Zhuizhongzhi" of the Ming Dynasty: "At the beginning of spring, no matter how high or low, chewing radish, it is called 'biting spring'."

Anecdotes about the Beginning of Spring: Years without Spring

"Years without Spring" means there is no Beginning of Spring day throughout the year. This is the reason why the length of the lunar year is shorter in some years than in the return year and longer in other years.

The length of the Return Year is 365.2422 days, which is the time interval between two adjacent Beginning of Spring solar terms. The average length of the Gregorian calendar year is 365.2425 days, which is almost the same as the tropical year. Therefore, the date of the beginning of spring in the Gregorian calendar year is basically fixed. In most years, it is February 4, and in some years, it is February 3 or 2. January 5th.

The situation in the lunar calendar year is different. Years without leap months in the lunar calendar have 353 to 355 days, about 11 days less than the tropical year; years with leap months have 383 to 385 days, 19 days more than the tropical year. about. Therefore, the position of the beginning of spring in the lunar year presents four situations: at the beginning of the year; at the end of the year; there are two spring days at the beginning and the end of the year; there is no beginning of spring day throughout the year.

In years with leap months in the lunar calendar (7 out of 19 years), because the year is longer than the return year, there is a day of spring at the beginning and end of the year, that is, "spring at both ends"

; Years without leap months (12 out of 19 years) are shorter than tropical years. "years without spring" have the most, and the remaining Beginning of Spring is about half at the beginning of the year and half at the end of the year. This pattern repeats itself on a 19-year cycle, with slight differences in individual years. In the 100 years of this century, there have been 37 years with spring at both ends, 37 years without spring, 12 years with spring at the beginning of the year, and 14 years with spring at the end of the year.

Note: This article is modified from the 2018 article "

Today is the Beginning of Spring: Warmth turns to cold, and farming begins again at the beginning of the year".

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