Why every year on the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar, Hangzhou should "tour the temple, welcome the spring breeze"?

Hangzhou is known as "Paradise on Earth" and is one of China's famous historical and cultural cities. Every spring, Hangzhou will usher in the warmth of the sun and the blossoming of flowers, there are also many traditional spring customs, the most representative of which is the Hangzhou spring breeze.

The history of Hangzhou Spring Breeze can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, while its popularity began in the Song Dynasty. Every year on the second day of February (lunar calendar), people go out to feel the warm spring breeze and celebrate the day, which is known as "Dragon Head Raising". In the local culture, dragons are regarded as symbols of good luck and peace. Therefore, celebrating the "dragon's head" is also a way of praying for peace and happiness in the new year.

Hangzhou's spring breeze is not just a meteorological phenomenon in the region, but also has strong cultural connotations, which are expressed in literature, art, traditional crafts, food and folklore.

First of all, literature and art. Hangzhou is famous for its many literati, such as Su Dongpo, Xin Qiji, Lin Zexu and other famous cultural figures. They took the spring breeze of Hangzhou as a source of inspiration and created countless beautiful poems, paintings and calligraphy, forming the "spring breeze poetry" with the spring breeze as the theme. Among them, Su Dongpo's "Red Cliff Fugue" and Xin Qiji's "The Case of Green Jade" have become classics of Chinese culture.

Secondly, there are traditional crafts. Among Hangzhou's traditional handicrafts, silk is known as "the best silk in the world" and is especially common in local markets. At the onset of spring, people use silk to make a variety of gifts, such as scarves, handkerchiefs, tablecloths, etc., and dress up to travel outside the city or to scenic spots such as Hangzhou's West Lake, to enjoy the beauty of the scenery along the way and to feel the scent of spring at the same time.

Again, it's all about food. In Hangzhou, spring is a good time for tea picking and trekking, and the picked tea leaves are elaborately made into "Longjing Tea", which is called "Longjing Spring Tea". Hangzhou people believe that only when they drink this fresh Longjing Spring Tea, they can be considered to have really spent the spring. In addition, there are also some traditional Hangzhou foods related to spring, such as glutinous rice roots, buns and flower cakes, all of which have a strong local flavor.

Finally, there are folk customs. At the onset of spring, Hangzhou's city air is filled with the pervasive scent of spring, and people often celebrate the festival by going shopping in department stores or markets at this time of year. In addition, in Hangzhou's rural areas, people spontaneously organize various activities such as worshiping gods and praying for the peace and prosperity of their families, communities or the city as a whole.

In short, Hangzhou Spring Festival, as a unique cultural phenomenon, has been y rooted in the hearts of Hangzhou people since ancient times. Whether it is literature and art, traditional crafts, food, folklore and other aspects of the rich local cultural characteristics are revealed in its body. Today, this culture is still in the city to continue, and more colorful, become a unique cultural landscape, attracting more and more tourists to visit, experience and feel the warmth of the spring breeze.