Today's Lichun: The beauty you believe in will happen

Li Chun is an idea. Here, the breath of spring wood begins, the buds spread and blossom, the wind and things have faith, they should return, and the beauty you believe in will happen.

Li Chun is a banner. The temperature is quietly rising, although the sky is still cold, the heart has warmed. Li Chun is the time to set the goal, the weather and phenology at this time all urge you to act.

Li Chun is an invitation. Starting from this spring, Hunan Daily and New Hunan Client invite everyone who loves nature to jointly record the local weather phenology of Hunan and witness the beautiful figure of spring from far and near.

【Explanation of solar terms】Lichun ranks first among the twenty-four solar terms, standing is the meaning of "beginning", and spring represents warmth and growth.

【Climate】 "Lichun" is the prelude to spring, in the meteorological sense, the standard for entering spring is the average daily temperature of more than 10 degrees Celsius for 5 consecutive days, and the time of spring in Hunan is generally until March. At present, Hunan has been in the stage of gradual transition from winter to spring, the cold air in the north is getting less and less, the intensity is getting weaker and weaker, the warm and humid air flow in the south is gradually active, and the overall trend of the future weather is getting warmer and warmer, while the rain is becoming more and more frequent. However, at the moment, we must continue to do a good job of keeping warm, and do not reduce clothes prematurely.

【Folklore】 In ancient times, in order to show respect for the heavenly time, the emperor began to fast 3 days before the arrival of Lichun, "On the day of lichun, the son of heaven personally led the three dukes and nine secretaries of the princes to welcome the spring in the eastern suburbs" (Li Ji , Moon Order).

Hunan folk also attach great importance to this festival, and elderly Hunan people still remember the custom of "playing spring". Playing spring is also known as "primrose" and "praise spring", the custom spread in Hunan, a few days before the spring, someone knocked on a small gong, bamboo board, sang the word of praise, went door to door to primrose, and sent a picture of a spring cow to beg for a reward. In the spring, the family set up an incense case outside the door, prayed to the day, fired firecrackers to welcome the spring, and pasted the red paper banners with the words "Welcoming Spring receiving blessings" and "Spring Solstice Blessings" were pasted in the hall.

In Hunan, there is also the custom of spring cattle celebrating spring. In the Qing Dynasty, the county ya made a cow shape from a frame of wood, and on the day after the winter solstice festival, it was made of soil to form an "earth cow", and the "whip spring" ceremony was held on the first day of the spring, and the earth cow was whipped with a colored whip until it was broken. In the countryside, the shape of a cow is made of paper paste, and the village chief performs incense to welcome the spring.

Text source: New Hunan