Vernal equinox custom 1: the beginning of spring eggs
Every spring equinox, tens of millions of people all over the world are making "China folk custom vertical eggs".
Why do eggs stand easily at the vernal equinox? First of all, the vernal equinox is a day with the same length of day and night in the northern and southern hemispheres. The inclination of the earth's axis is 66.5 degrees, which is in a relatively balanced state with the earth's orbital plane around the sun, which is beneficial to vertical eggs. Secondly, the vernal equinox is in the middle of spring, which is lukewarm, colorful, comfortable, quick-thinking, agile and easy to succeed in laying eggs. More importantly, the surface of the egg is uneven and there are many protruding "hills". The height of "mountain" is about 0.03mm, and the distance between peaks is 0.5-0.8mm. According to the principle that three points form a triangle and a plane is determined, as long as three "mountains" and the triangle formed by these three "mountains" are found and the center of gravity of the egg passes through this triangle, the egg can stand upright. In addition, it is best to choose eggs 4-5 days after birth, because at this time, the yolk of the egg is slack, the yolk sinks, and the center of gravity of the egg drops, which is conducive to the erection of the egg.
Vernal equinox custom 2: eat spring vegetables
In the past four cities (now Heshan is the five cities), there was an unbroken custom called "eating spring vegetables at the vernal equinox". "Spring vegetable" is a kind of wild amaranth, which villagers call "Artemisia chun". On the vernal equinox, the whole village went to pick spring vegetables. When searching in the wild, it is often green and thin, about the length of a palm. Picked spring vegetables are usually boiled with fish fillets at home, which is called "spring soup". There is a jingle: "spring soup is dirty, wash the liver and intestines." The whole family is safe and healthy. " Since the spring of the year, people still pray for peace and health at home.
Vernal equinox custom 3: Spring Festival
At the vernal equinox in February, people began to pay homage to their ancestors, also known as the Spring Festival. Before sweeping the grave, a grand ancestor worship ceremony should be held in the ancestral hall, pigs and sheep should be slaughtered, drummers should be invited to play, and the ritual students should read the eulogy and quote three praises. At the beginning of the spring equinox grave sweeping, the first thing is to sweep the graves of ancestors and distant ancestors. The whole family and the whole village have to be dispatched on a large scale, and the team often reaches hundreds or even thousands. After the ancestral graves of Kaiji and Yuanzu were swept, they were divided into rooms to sweep the graves of ancestors in each room, and finally each family swept the graves privately. In most Hakka areas, ancestor worship and grave sweeping in spring begin at the vernal equinox or earlier, and must end in Tomb-Sweeping Day at the latest. There is a saying everywhere that after the Qingming Festival, the tomb door is closed, and the ancestors' spirits are not needed.
Vernal equinox custom four: stick the sparrow's mouth
According to custom, farmers have a holiday on the vernal equinox. Every family should eat dumplings, and a dozen or thirty dumplings that don't contain hearts should be cooked and placed on the edge of outdoor fields with thin bamboo forks, which is called sticking sparrows' mouths so as not to destroy crops. The vernal equinox is also a good time for children to fly kites. Especially at the vernal equinox. Even adults are involved. Kites are divided into Wang Zi Kite, Silver Carp Kite, Myxomoth Kite, Leigong Kite and Moon Light Kite. The biggest kite is two meters high, and the smallest one is two or three feet. There are kites on the market, many of which are smaller than others' and suitable for children to play with, but most of them are posted by themselves, and the bigger ones have to compete with each other to see which one flies high.
Vernal equinox custom 5: Sacrifice to the sun
In the Zhou dynasty, there was a ceremony to worship the sun at the vernal equinox. Book of Rites: "Altar." Ying Da Shu by Confucius: "Also called vernal equinox". This custom has been handed down from generation to generation. Pan Qingrong won Ji Sheng at the age of Emperor Jing: "The vernal equinox and autumn are a grand ceremony of the country, and scholars should not worship it."
Ritan is located in the east of Ritan Road in the southeast outside Chaoyangmen, also known as Asahi altar. It is the place where emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties offered sacrifices to Daimyojin (the sun) at the vernal equinox. Asahi is set at the beginning of the vernal equinox. Every year, A, C, E, G and Ren are sacrificed by the emperor himself, and the rest are sacrificed by officials.