What are the customs of spring equinox

The spring equinox is one of the twenty-four traditional Chinese solar terms, usually occurring around March 20 every year. It marks the official beginning of spring, when day and night last for equal periods of time, the weather gradually warms up and the earth recovers. In China, there are many colorful customs for the spring equinox, and the following are some of the common ones:

1. Trekking and flower-viewing: During the spring equinox, nature begins to wake up and everything recovers. People like to enjoy the flowers, especially in the parks, mountains or the countryside to enjoy the beautiful scenery of spring, feel the vitality of nature.

2. Playing Spring: Playing Spring is an ancient folklore activity, which mainly involves gently beating the body with willow or other soft things to drive away the cold and enhance physical strength. This custom is mostly found in the southern region.

3. Tree Planting Day: Vernal Equinox is also the Chinese Tree Planting Day, where people organize various tree planting activities to promote green and ecological awareness.

4. Ching Ming Festival: The Spring Equinox coincides with the time around the Ching Ming Festival, when people visit the graves of their ancestors and offer flowers and food to show their respect and remembrance of their ancestors.

5. Duanwu Steam Zongzi: Although Duanwu is a summer festival, the spring equinox is also a good time for people to steam zongzi. People will celebrate the arrival of spring by wrapping ingredients such as glutinous rice, bean paste and meat in bamboo leaves, steaming them and eating them.

6. Kite Flying: During the spring equinox, the weather is warm and the wind is favorable, which is a good time to fly kites. People will choose a variety of colorful kites and fly them in the air to enjoy a moment of relaxation and entertainment.

The above are just some common spring equinox customs, and there may be some special traditional activities in different regions. In any case, the spring equinox is a much-anticipated festival, and people celebrate the arrival of spring and pray for health, happiness and a good harvest through these customs.