Beginning of spring, December 26th, 85th lunar month.

According to the calendar query, the beginning of spring time on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month in August corresponds to the Gregorian calendar1February 4th, 986. Eating spring cakes in beginning of spring means welcoming spring and praying for a bumper harvest.

Beginning of spring is the first of the 24 solar terms. Standing means "start"; Spring represents warmth and growth. Twenty-four solar terms were originally formulated according to "the change of the stars". When the bucket handle of the Big Dipper points to the shade, it is beginning of spring.