“立春”九大风俗 鸡蛋为啥能立起来?

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Spring (Chinese: 立春), the first solar term of the year, begins this year on Feb 4 and ends on Feb 18.

传统的中国农历将一年分为24个节气，“立春是一年中的第一个节气。今年的“立春节气从2月4日始，到18日结束。

Start of Spring lifts the curtain of spring. After that everything turns green and full of vigor; people clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.

“立春拉开了春季的帷幕。此后万物复苏，充满勃勃生机。人们也能明显感觉到白天开始变长，天气回暖。

Here are nine things you should know about Start of Spring.

以下是关于“立春你应该知道的9件事。

Start of Spring. [Photo/IC]

Start of Spring and Spring Festival

立春和春节

As a solar term, Start of Spring had already entered people's lives in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). At that time, there were eight solar terms. According to some experts, the 24 solar terms were used for the first time in books during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), when the Start of Spring was set as the Spring Festival. In 1913, the first day of the first month of the lunar year was mandated as the Spring Festival. 作为24节气之一，“立春从春秋时期就走进了人们的生活。那时，一年分为8个节气。据专家所说，24节气首次出现在史书上是在西汉，当时“立春被定为春节。1913年，农历元月首日才被定为春节。

A fish-shaped kite. [Photo/IC]

Flying a kite

放风筝

Spring is the best season for kite-flying. A traditional folk activity, it has a history of more than 2,000 years. It can help build one’s health and prevent diseases. It also has the effect of promoting blood circulation and speeding up metabolism. A breath of fresh air outside can discharge the foul smell accumulated in winter.

春季最适合放风筝。作为一种传统的民间活动，放风筝已经有两千多年的历史了。放风筝有益健康，可以预防疾病，还可以促进血液循环，加快新陈代谢。呼吸室外新鲜空气，可以排出冬季身体里积攒的陈旧气味。

Two girls erect eggs. [Photo/asianewsphoto.com]

Erecting the egg

立鸡蛋

In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring, Spring Equinox day and Autumn Equinox day. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand on the first day of Start of Spring, he will have good luck in the future.

按中国民间说法，立春、春分和秋分时，鸡蛋很容易竖起来。人们认为在立春能把鸡蛋竖起来的人，来年有好运。

According to astronomers and physicists, setting the egg upright has nothing to do with time, but with mechanics. The most important thing is to shift the egg’s center of gravity to the lowest part of the egg. In this way, the trick is holding the egg until the yolk sinks as much as possible. For this, people should choose an egg about 4 or 5 days old, whose yolk is inclined to sink down.

据天文学家和物理学家所说，竖鸡蛋和时间没有关系，只与力学有关。关键是把鸡蛋的重心移到最低点，握住鸡蛋，尽量让蛋黄下沉。还要挑选已经下了四五天，蛋黄容易下沉的鸡蛋。

A swallow. [Photo/IC]

Wearing fabric swallows

“佩燕子

Wearing fabric swallows is a custom in some regions in Shaanxi. Every Start of Spring, people like to wear a swallow made of colorful silk on their chests. The custom originated during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The swallow is a harbinger of spring and a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

陕西某些地方立春时节有“佩燕子的风俗。每年立春，人们喜欢在胸前佩戴用彩绸剪成的“燕子，这种风俗起自唐代。因为燕子是报春的使者，也是幸福吉利的象征。

Spring cake. [Photo/IC]

Biting the spring

“咬春

In many parts of China, people observe the custom of "biting the spring" on the first day of Start of Spring. They eat spring pancakes, spring rolls, or a few mouthfuls of carrots.

立春这一天，中国很多地方有“咬春的风俗。人们吃春饼、春卷，或者咬几口胡萝卜。

An ox in the field. [Photo/IC]

Making a Spring Ox

糊春牛

This custom in Shaanxi is practiced right before the Start of Spring. The local government hires some skilled artisans and gathers them to build the frame of an ox out of bamboo strips and the legs with wood. Then they paste some paper and paint onto it—and, voila! The image of an ox is complete. It is said that if more red and yellow paper is used, then there will be a good harvest that year; if black paper is pasted, then the year will be poor. When the paper ox is ready, there is a ritual to paint the eyes. After that, people will set up an altar for it and worship it.

糊春牛这项陕西的风俗活动是在立春前开始进行的，按传统的作法，由县政府(县衙)聘请纸扎能手好匠，于立春前到县城聚会，精心制作春牛图像。一般用竹篾绑成牛的骨架，用春木做腿，再糊上纸，涂上颜料，一个牛的形象就制作成功了。俗谓糊上红黄色的纸多，当年就“五谷丰收；糊上黑色纸，当年收成不好。春牛糊好后，举行开光点睛仪式，即设立香案，顶礼朝拜。

A paper-cut of the Chinese character "spring". [Photo/IC]

Posting spring calligraphy and paintings

剪春花贴春字

The custom of posting calligraphy and paintings on one's door in the spring first appeared during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). People would do so to welcome spring and pray for good luck on the first day of Start of Spring.

在门上剪春花贴春字的习俗源自唐朝。人们以此表达迎接春天到来之意，并祈求好运降临。

Plum blossoms. [Photo/IC]

Appreciating plum blossoms

赏梅

Plums blossom from the 12th lunar month to the second month of the next year. The plum blossom, as it fights against the cold, is the most highly regarded. In China, the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are praised as the four gentlemen of Chinese flowers.

梅花从农历寒冬腊月开到第二年二月，梅花与严寒抗争，备受尊重。梅兰竹菊在中国被称为“花中四君子。

Image of Gou Mang, the god of Spring. [Photo/gmw.cn]

Welcoming spring

“拜春

People in China began holding a special ceremony on the first day of Start of Spring about 3,000 years ago. They made sacrifices to Gou Mang, the god of Spring, who is in charge of agriculture. By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), greeting spring had become an important folk activity. In Beijing, government officials welcomed spring in the wild field near Dongzhimen (the east gate of Beijing).

三千年前，中国人就开始举行迎春仪式了。人们拜祭主宰农业的春神“句芒。清朝时，“拜春成为重要的民间活动。明清时京兆尹和各府衙官员，都必须去“东郊的东直门外五里的“春场去迎春。