This is Beijing-Beijing English blog

Wednesday marks “Lichun”, which literally means “Spring Begins”. People across the country are performing traditional rituals to celebrate the beginning of warm spring days.

Lichun is a day when Chinese people traditionally hold a ceremony called “Whip the Spring”, which promotes farming and production.

In the traditional ritual “Whip the Clay Ox”, a senior person in the village symbolically whips a clay ox three times to announce the start of farming for the year and make a wish for a big harvest.

Zhao Shu, researcher Beijing Research Inst. of Culture & History, said, “The rituals of Whipping the Spring Ox have another significance meaning to whip away the coldness and to brace the warm spring. Another ritual is Paying the Spring Call. People visit their friends and colleagues as work begins in the spring. A third ritual is Biting the Spring. People usually eat spring pancakes and spring rolls.”

Snacks that Chinese people enjoy in Lichun include vegetables such as Chinese radishes, ginger and bean sprouts.

It is also an occasion to reflect on the changing of seasons and it marks the beginning of some farming activities.

Mei Fangquan, chairman of China Agricultural Modernization Assn., said, “Spring is a key time in the year. It’s related to future development. The crops begin to sprout in spring and farmers should get busy preparing for weeding.”

Farmers around the country have already started their work. The spring is bringing them hope and they all aim for the planting to go well in preparation for the big harvests.

Tags: culture

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