The origin of the spring equinox
The spring equinox, in ancient times, was also known as "day and night", "day and night equinox" and "mid-spring moon". The Ming Shi Li I records: "The point where the yellow and red intersect, the sun travels to this point, it is divided equally between day and night." "Therefore, the meaning of the vernal equinox refers to the fact that the time of day is divided equally between day and night, each for 12 hours. Second, in ancient times, spring to summer was the spring, and the spring equinox was in the three months of spring, and the spring was divided equally.
In ancient China, the vernal equinox was divided into three seasons: "one waits for the yuan bird to arrive, the second waits for the thunder to sound, and the third waits for the first electricity." "That is to say, after the spring equinox, swallows will fly from the south, and when it rains, the sky will thunder and send lightning. The corresponding phenological phenomenon in the ancient Yellow River Basin was "Xuan Bird arrives, Thunder is sounded, and electricity is initiated" (see Nongsang Tong Tips). At this time, most of China's wintering crops entered the spring growth stage. There is a proverb in central China: "The spring equinox wheat rises, and a moment is worth a thousand gold." ”
The spring equinox is also a traditional Festival in China. In the Zhou Dynasty, the spring equinox had a ritual of worship. The Book of Rites: "The day of the sacrifice is on the altar." Kong Yingda Shuo: "It is also the spring equinox." This custom has been passed down through the generations. Qing Pan Rong majesty's "Ji Sheng in the Age of Emperor Jing": "The spring equinox festival day and the autumn equinox festival are the great ceremonies of the country, and the people are not allowed to worship without permission." ”
The custom of the spring equinox
Eat spring vegetables at the spring equinox
There are also many customs of the spring equinox, and in the past, there was an unconventional custom in Siyi, called "eating spring vegetables at the spring equinox". "Spring vegetables" is a kind of wild amaranth, which the townspeople call "spring artemisia". On the day of the spring equinox, the whole village goes to pick spring vegetables. The spring vegetables that are picked back are generally "rolled soup" with fish fillets at home, known as "spring soup". There is a smooth mouth: "Spring soup is dirty, washing the liver and intestines." Family, young and old, safe and healthy. Slowly this became a custom. Since the spring of the year, people still pray for the tranquility of the family home, the strength of the body, and the health and health of the whole year.
Spring equinox vertical egg
There is a saying: the spring equinox arrives, and the eggs are pretty. The "spring equinox vertical egg" also has a history of more than 4,000 years in the mainland, and on the day of the spring equinox, people will choose a smooth and symmetrical fresh egg that has just been born for four or five days, and lightly erect it on the table to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Treat the cattle
In the Jiangnan region, the custom of rewarding cattle and sacrificing hundreds of birds is popular. When the spring equinox arrives, the cattle begin a year's labor, and the glutinous rice balls are fed to the cattle as a reward. Sacrifice hundreds of birds, one is to thank them for reminding the farmers, and the other is to hope that the birds will not peck at the grain and pray for a good year.
Take advantage of the spring light, still half of it, do not bear the present dynasty
Anchor: CICI
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Written by CiCi
Reviewer/Lingling Wu
Edited by Chen Hongshi