The origin and development of the sting:
It is one of the 24 solar terms, usually around March 5 or 6 every year, marking the beginning of the mid-spring season. There are two different theories about the origin of the sting.
One theory is that the "sting" of the sting means to hide. In winter, many animals hide and hibernate, which is known as "stinging". By the following spring, when the ground warms up, the animals will wake up from hibernation and move around, which is called "stinging". The sting is a description of the spring thunder that wakes up the animals that are hibernating in the soil. In fact, insects can't hear thunder, and the earth is springing and the weather is warmer because they end their hibernation and "run away".
Another way of saying it is that the "enlightenment" of the stunned was originally written as "enlightenment". The ancients believed that hibernating animals were awakened by spring thunder. However, this notion is actually a misconception. In ancient times, it was widely believed that spring thunder could awaken hibernating animals, so this day was called "enlightenment". But this name changed in the time of Liu Qi, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, and in order to avoid the emperor's name, people changed "Qi Yu" to "Jing Jing". Although it has undergone many changes of dynasty, it has been used to this day because "stunning" sounds louder and more vivid.
The custom of stinging:
In the sting season, there are many traditional customs among the people of our country.
Sacrifice to the God of Thunder: In the past, people would worship the God of Thunder on the Day of the Sting. This is because on the day of the sting, there was a thunder god in the heavenly court to beat the heavenly drum, and the human world also used this opportunity to cover the drum skin.
Beat the villain: There is a saying about beating the villain. After the sting, all the hibernating critters and all kinds of bugs will also wake up and start looking for food. Therefore, in ancient times, people would hold incense and wormwood, smoke the four corners of the house, and use the fragrance to drive away these snakes and insects, implying that the wind and rain will be good in the year. Later, this custom gradually evolved into the custom of driving away bad luck.
Sacrifice to the White Tiger: People will worship the white tiger painted on paper, hoping that it will no longer hurt people, and at the same time, it also means to resolve right and wrong and avoid verbal disputes.
Eating pears: After the sting, the weather warms up, but at this time, it is also prone to spring cold, and people are prone to feel dry mouth and feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the folk have the custom of eating pears in surprise, because pears are cold and sweet, have the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving cough, nourishing yin and clearing heat, and can play a nourishing role in the body.
In general, the sting is a solar term that marks the true arrival of spring, and it represents the warming of the earth and the revival of all things. The various traditional customs related to it convey people's yearning and expectation for a better life.