The origin and custom of the twenty-four solar terms

Twenty-four solar terms began in ancient times and originated in the Yellow River Basin.

In Yao Dian of Shangshu, we put forward the concepts of "day, eternal day, midnight and short day", which are what we now call vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox and winter solstice. With the development of agricultural production and astronomical observation, beginning of spring, Chang Xia, beginning of autumn and beginning of winter were introduced into Lv Chunqiu at the end of the Warring States Period.

The custom of the twenty-four solar terms:

At 1, starting from spring, all officials will provide meat and fruit food in front of local cattle in Manshen, and hold a grand ceremony of "beating cattle" at noon. Officials beat the local cattle three times with red and green whips or willow branches, and then handed them over to subordinate officials and farmers for beating in turn, so that the local cattle could be interrupted as much as possible to show people's love for spring. Later, people laughed and grabbed the clods of cattle and took them home to put them in the animal pen, symbolizing the prosperity of the trough head.

2. On this day in the coastal areas of China, there is a folk custom of "breaking eggs" in the long summer. At noon that day, every household had to boil eggs. Boil eggs in shells, don't break them. Soak them in cold water for a few minutes, then put on a woven silk bag and hang it around the child's neck. Children will play egg-beating games in groups of three or five. An egg has two heads, the pointed one is the head and the round one is the tail. When you beat eggs, the head of the egg hits the head of the egg and the tail of the egg hits the tail of the egg.

There are many folk customs in early autumn, especially in the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th. In Zhulinguan area of Shangluo, there is a custom of "touching autumn". That night, the childless woman after marriage, accompanied by her sister-in-law or other female companions, secretly groped for melons and beans in the fields under the fruit stand and bean shed, hence the name "Touching Autumn". Touching a pumpkin is easy to give birth to a boy; Touching lentils is easy to have girls.