The Earth God's Day is an important festival in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, usually on the second day of the second lunar month. The festival of the earth god is a day dedicated to the god of the land and is considered an important time in agricultural production, and people pray for a good harvest and good weather in the fields by worshipping the god of the land.
In traditional Chinese beliefs, the land god is regarded as a god who guards farmland and villages, and is believed to be able to control the fertility of the land and the harvest of crops. The festival is a festival to thank the earth god for his protection of agricultural production and to pray for smooth cultivation of farmland and a good harvest of crops in the coming year.
The Earth God's birthday usually falls on the second day of the second lunar month, and this day is also the first day of the first lunar month when the dragon raises its head. At this time, it is the spring ploughing season, which is the time to start plowing the land and sowing seeds, so people choose to hold a solemn sacrifice ceremony on the birthday of the earth god to pray for the blessing of the land god and ensure the smooth progress of agricultural production throughout the year.
On the day of the Earth God's Day, farmers prepare sacrifices in advance, such as new rice, fruits, flowers, etc., and then worship the Earth God at the land temple in the field or village. The sacrificial rituals include traditional rituals such as offering incense, burning paper money, and beating the lion, with the aim of expressing reverence and gratitude to the land god.
It is believed that through such sacrifices, one can be blessed by the god of the land, and the agricultural production will be smooth, the wind and rain will be smooth, and the village will be peaceful. The Earth God's Day is one of the traditional Chinese agricultural festivals, which reflects people's reverence for the land god and dependence on nature in agricultural culture.
Although farming practices have changed greatly in modern times, traditional rituals are still held in some places on the day of the Earth God's Birthday to pass on and promote this ancient cultural tradition. It is also one of the rich and meaningful traditional festivals that have been preserved in rural areas of China.