学进去

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar(阴历) divides the year into 24 solar terms(节气). Lichun, the first of the 24 solar terms, lifts the curtain(窗帘) of spring. After that everything turns green and is filled with energy. People clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer. Here are some things you might not know about Lichun.

As a solar term, Lichun entered people’s lives in the Spring and Auturmn period. 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, when people set Lichun as the Spring Festival.

Wearing fabric swallows(织成的燕子) is a custom in some areas in Shaanxi. Every Lichun, people like to wear a swallow made of colorful silk on their chests(胸部). The swallow is a sign of spring and a symbol of success, wealth and happiness.

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

In many parts of China, people follow the custom of “biting the spring” on the first day of Lichun. They eat spring pancakes, spring rolls(春卷) and so on.