This year is the Year of the Rabbit, which means there are two solar terms.
The Year of the Rabbit is determined according to the traditional calendar of China. The "rabbit" in the zodiac corresponds to the year of the twelve earthly branches, and the year of the rabbit is the animal year. Every twelve years is regarded as a cycle. For example, Gregorian calendar 20 1 1 basically corresponds to the Year of the Rabbit, which is the year of Xinmao.
This year is the Lunar Year of the Rabbit, which means that spring has two beginnings. There will be a "leap February" in leap year 2023, with 384 days in a year. There will be two solar terms in beginning of spring in a year, namely, beginning of spring in the first month of Guimao year (February 4, 2023) and beginning of spring in the same year (February 4, 2024). Folk call this phenomenon "two springs a year", also known as "two spring years".
The beginning of spring customs
1, paste spring cattle
The custom of sticking spring cattle began before the beginning of spring. According to the traditional practice, the county government (county government) hired experts and craftsmen in paper binding to get together in the county town before the spring, and carefully made images of spring cattle. Generally, bamboo sticks are tied into the skeleton of a cow, spring wood is used as legs, paper is pasted and paint is applied, and the image of a cow is successfully made.
As the saying goes, there is a lot of red and yellow paper on it, and then there is a "bumper harvest". Paste on black paper, the harvest was not good that year. After the spring cattle were pasted, a ceremony was held to make the finishing point, that is, an incense table was set up and a bow was made to worship.
2, playing spring cattle
There is a kind of spring cattle made of Sang Mu as the skeleton, which is a "cow" specially used for the custom of "beating spring cattle". On the morning after the winter solstice, people use clay to synthesize clay blank and carve it into the shape of a cow. Draw a pattern at 4: 08 and 360 days 12 hours. The day before the start of spring, officials and people offered sacrifices on the agreed agricultural altar. Later, the county deacon personally whipped the "spring cow" to show the beginning of spring ploughing. Then, the masses began to plow the fields. Playing "Spring Cattle" while plowing, shouting: a dozen "good weather"; Two dozen copies of National Peace and Security; There are three dozen auspicious words, such as "the grain is abundant".
3. You Chun, Bao Chun
After celebrating the good news of the Spring Festival, we started our spring trip. The gongs and drums teams and honor guards of the villages and clubs walked in front, and the huge statue of spring cattle carried by four or eight people walked behind. Walking and jumping, gongs and drums are loud and firecrackers are ringing. The parade was huge and spectacular. Go through villages, streets and alleys.
After entering the spring outing field (review field), the spring outing team swam around the field twice, and then lined up to stand on the arranged field. According to the traditional custom, there is a newspaper station, wearing strange clothes and holding a red and yellow flag. The first newspaper on the stage-"Good weather", the masses echoed in unison; The second newspaper, The Harvest of Grains, was echoed by the masses. The third newspaper, Peace and Prosperity, was echoed by the masses again. Everyone who comes to the newspaper has a reward.