JAKARTA - The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides a year into 24 solar seasons. One of them is the Spring Equinox or chun fen, the fourth solar season which this year runs from March 20 to April 4.
According to China Daily, quoted Sunday, May 3, the Spring Equinox marks the same length of day and night. On that day, the sun is directly above the equator. After that, the sun moves north. The days in the Northern Hemisphere are getting longer, while the nights in the Southern Hemisphere are getting longer.
In ancient Chinese tradition, the 15 days of the Spring Equinox are divided into three hou, each five days. In the first hou, the kites fly back north. In the second hou, thunder begins to be heard. In the third hou, lightning appears more often.
There is also the tradition of setting up eggs. This game is popular in China during the Spring Equinox and is said to be around 4,000 years old. People believe that whoever manages to make an egg stand will have good luck.
Some people believe the equinox is the best time for the game because the earth's axis is relatively balanced against the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun. Therefore, the egg is considered easier to stand.
The Spring Equinox is also closely associated with kites. In the past, when health services were inadequate, people wrote complaints of illness on paper kites. When the kite was high, the string was cut. It was hoped that the disease would fly away.
Later, the tradition changed into a spring game. People wrote prayers or good wishes on kites, hoping the message would be seen by the gods in the sky.
Another tradition is eating spring vegetables. The types are different in each region. In the classic Chinese book Huangdi Neijing, people are advised to eat seasonal foods to maintain health and bring good luck.
In the southern area of the Yangtze River, farmers also reward cows. When the planting season begins, farmers and cows are both busy. Cows are given balls of glutinous rice as a sign of gratitude.
People also offer sacrifices to birds. They are grateful because birds are considered to bring a sign of the coming farming season, as well as hoping that birds will not eat grains at the end of the year.
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