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Originally published in "Rural Youth" Magazine, Issue 3, 2024 South and North: Different Spring Ploughing Texts / Liu Shuchen Sorting out "Plant a grain of millet in the spring and harvest 10,000 seeds in the autumn." "Spring plowing is the first battle of the year's grain production and the basis of a year's harvest. With the gradual warming of temperature, the spring ploughing drama is gradually unfolding on the land of the motherland from south to north.
China has a long history of agriculture, and after thousands of years of hard work, the spring ploughing culture in the north and south has gradually formed its own characteristics and customs.
Spring plowing and spring sowing are carried out from south to north
The annual spring plowing and spring sowing time in the mainland is mainly concentrated in February to May, but the mainland has a vast territory, and the climate between the north and the south is very different, and the spring sowing time is not the same in various places.
South China is the earliest region in mainland China to start spring sowing, and in late February, spring sowing began in small areas such as Hainan Island, Taiwan Island, Yunnan-Myanmar border, and coastal areas of Guangdong and Guangxi. In mid to early March, the highlight of spring sowing was still in South China, with Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and Yunnan provinces taking the lead in the first round of early rice transplanting. Due to the local temperature increase, Chongqing and Ningxia Plains also carried out cultivation and transplanting during the same period.
Farmers in Beijie Village, Huiting Town, Xiayi County, Shangqiu City, Henan Province, fertilized their wheat fields from late March to early April, and the farmland in the areas of Jiangnan, Jianghuai, Jianghan, and Yunnan-Guichuan gradually became lively, and spring plowing was basically carried out in the areas south of the Huai River in the Qinling Mountains. In March, the northwest region was still in the middle of the spring cold, and only the temperature in the Longnan, Ningxia Plain, and Hetao Plain was enough for crops to sprout and grow, and the sowing of spring wheat and potatoes began in these areas.
In mid-to-late April, spring strides northward, and most areas of the country except Heilongjiang are suitable for spring preparation. Among them, the North China Plain and the Northeast Plain, two important granaries on the mainland, have successively started the second round of spring sowing, laying a solid foundation for grain production on the mainland together with the Guanzhong region and the Central Plains region.
Beidahuang Agricultural Reclamation Group Wudalianchi Farm Co., Ltd. carried out deep fertilization of field corn in mid to early May, and spring sowing finally came to the last stop - Heilongjiang, a major grain-producing province in the mainland. As the temperature warms up, the earth thaws, soybeans and rice are sown one after another, and the black soil that has been sleeping for a winter is gradually awakened, providing a solid guarantee for grain production.
Different spring ploughing customs
Different regions have their own unique spring ploughing customs, which are full of strong traditional culture and folk culture, and also reflect the customs of rural areas.
In the north, the folk proverb "On the second day of February, the dragon raises its head; In the early morning of the second day of the second lunar month, villagers in many areas in the north get up early, take out a basket of grass and wood ashes from under their own pots and stoves, and take a small shovel to shovel some grass and wood ashes. The circle of the enclosure is large and small, less than three circles, more than five circles, and the single is not double. After enclosing the warehouse, the grain at home is reverently placed in the middle of the warehouse, and it is intentionally scattered on the periphery of the warehouse to symbolize the harvest of the year.
Spring cakes are eaten in many areas in the north on the spring day every year, and the name is "biting spring", which has the meaning of welcoming spring and praying for a good harvest. The practice of sprinkling ink was prevalent in the northern regions and can be traced back to the Song Dynasty. In Beijing, Shanxi, Hebei and other places, farmers will carry out "ink-sprinkling" activities to celebrate the beginning of spring and pray for a good harvest in the coming year. The specific method is to draw a pattern with charcoal on paper, and then sprinkle red ink on the pattern to form a small red dot with a "dong dong" sound. These red dots are believed to represent the landing of seeds, the growth of luxuriant, etc., and also indicate a good harvest of crops. There is also a saying among the folk that "ink is sprinkled in spring and harvested in autumn." "There are also many spring ploughing customs in the southern part of the mainland, such as water sacrifice ceremonies are held during spring ploughing to pray for moderate drought and flood in spring, so that crops can grow stably under good climatic conditions. Spring table setting is a spring ploughing custom in some parts of southern China, which refers to placing a table in the home and filling it with fruits, sweets, flowers and other items when the spring ploughing season begins, as a way to pray for the growth of crops and the safety of the family in the coming year.
Beating Spring Mash Beating spring mash is a spring ploughing custom in some parts of southern China, and it is a sweet wine made from glutinous rice. At the beginning of spring ploughing, people make mash and invite neighbors and friends to share it with them, as a way to pray for a good harvest and family safety in the coming year.
Spring plowing and preparation have their own characteristics
Although they are all in March, the spring plowing preparation work in the north and south is completely different, even in the same link of ploughing, the north and south also show different characteristics:
In the south, the crops for spring ploughing are mainly rice, vegetables, fruits, etc., and attention should be paid to the field management of rice, such as fertilization, cultivating, irrigation, etc., while the crops of spring ploughing in the north are mainly wheat, corn, beans, etc., and attention should be paid to protecting the green manure and soil moisture in spring when preparing for tillage.
The agricultural machinery and tools that need to be used for spring ploughing in the south are mainly rice machinery, such as rice transplanters, harvesters, etc., and the agricultural machinery and tools that need to be used for spring ploughing in the north are mainly tillage machines, such as cultivators and seeders.
In the spring, livestock is the mainstay in the spring, and attention should be paid to guarding against the impact of high temperature weather on the aquaculture; in the spring, livestocking in the north is the mainstay, and attention should be paid to guarding against the impact of cold weather on aquaculture.
In the spring ploughing of rice in the south, it is necessary to do a good job in dredging paddy fields, improving the soil, and strengthening irrigation, so as to ensure the stability of the water level of the paddy fields and the growth and development of crops; in the spring ploughing in the north, it is necessary to do a good job in the work of land ploughing, turning the sun, breaking the soil, and cultivating the crops, so as to improve the soil conditions and increase the yield of crops.
Spring plowing and preparation for plowing is the foundation and key to agricultural production in a year, and it has a bearing on the mainland's grain production and peasants' incomes throughout the year. At present, the mainland's spring plowing and preparation work is being carried out in an orderly manner. Next, all localities will do a good job in the implementation of various measures to seize agricultural time, ensure spring planting, resist disasters, and reap bumper harvests, and be the "ballast stone" for maintaining national food security.
Rural Youth Magazine
Source: Rural Youth Magazine, Issue 3, 2024
Final review: Lin Yuhong Reviewer: Yang Ming, Liu Zhuying Editor: Liu Shuchen