What does the vernal equinox mean?

The vernal equinox is one of the 24 solar terms. At the vernal equinox, the direct point of the sun is on the equator, and then the direct point of the sun continues to move northward, so the vernal equinox is also called the "ascending equinox". At the vernal equinox, theoretically, the world is as long as day and night (see the dawn). After the vernal equinox, the days in the northern hemisphere are getting longer and shorter, and the nights in the southern hemisphere are getting shorter and shorter.

After the vernal equinox, the overwintering crops in most parts of southern China entered the spring growth stage. In central China, there is an agricultural proverb, "Wheat starts at the vernal equinox, and every moment is worth a thousand dollars". The temperature in most parts of the south continues to rise, but generally it doesn't rain as fast as the vernal equinox.

Extended data:

The vernal equinox is one of the solar terms reflecting the changes of the four seasons. In ancient China, beginning of spring, Changxia, beginning of autumn and beginning of winter were used to indicate the beginning of the four seasons. The vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox and winter solstice are in the middle of each season. On the vernal equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator, and the time between day and night is equal all over the earth. Therefore, the ancient vernal equinox and autumnal equinox are also called "equinox", and there is a folk proverb that "vernal equinox and autumnal equinox are equally divided day and night".