**10,000 Powder Incentive Plan Around March 6 every year, when the sun reaches 345 degrees of yellow longitude, the stinging solar term arrives. The sting, known as "Qi sting" in ancient times, is the third of the 24 solar terms, marking the beginning of the mid-spring season.
Shocked
Amazingly, the name contains a profound cultural connotation and the careful observation of natural phenomena by the ancients. In Shuowen Jie Zi, "sting" is interpreted as "hiding also", which means that the insect hides in the ground and enters a state of not eating or moving.
What alarmed these hibernating bugs? It's spring thunder. The sound of thunder is rolling, symbolizing the warming of the earth and the revival of all things. In the "Seventy-two Candidate Explanations of the Lunar Order", there is "everything is shocked, and the earthquake is thunder, so it is called shock." It's the stinging insects that run away in shock", which means that the spring thunder wakes up the hibernating insects and urges them to crawl out of the burrows and start a new year's life. The ancients condensed it into the word "stunning". Tao Yuanming, a poet of the Jin Dynasty, wrote a poem: "When the spring rains, the thunder begins to send to the east, and the stings are terrifying, and the grass and trees are vertical and horizontal." ”
It is worth mentioning that the name and order of the solar term "stunning" were not determined at the beginning.
Before the Han Dynasty, the original name of the sting was "Qi Zhen", and the ranking was also before the rain solar term. When Liu Qi, the sixth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, ascended the throne, in order to avoid the name of "Qi", "Qi Zhen" was changed to "Shocking", and the location was also swapped with the rain. Liu An's Huainanzi of the Western Han Dynasty recorded for the first time the sequence of stings after the rain.
Xiao Fang said that the adjustment of the location of the sting and rain is based on the ancient concept of yin and yang and the five elements. "The Seventy-two Candidate Explanations of the Lunar Order" Cloud: "In the middle of the first month." The day is a life of water, the beginning of spring belongs to the wood, but the person who gives birth to the wood, will be water, so the rain that follows the spring, and the east wind is thawed, then scattered and rained. ”
The order of the sting is in line with the symbiotic relationship of the five elements of yin and yang in ancient times; The name change of the sting also makes this solar term more vivid, as if the spring thunder really alarmed the hibernating insects and woke up the earth.
Stinging, vividly interpreting the image of spring thunder waking up dormant animals. However, are these hibernating animals really awakened by spring thunder?
The time of the spring thunder in various parts of China is early and late, and it is different, such as the southern part of Yunnan and other places due to the geographical location of the south, the temperature rises quickly, and the spring thunder can often be heard at the end of January; In northern regions such as Beijing, the first thunder will not be ushered in until around the Qingming Festival.
In general, the statement that the sting began to hear thunder is more consistent with the climatic pattern of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the areas south of it. Meteorology calls the day of the first thunder of the year as the first thunder day, and some data show that although the 24 solar terms may originate in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, most of the average first thunder dates in China are located in the south of the Yangtze River.
In the sting season, the first sound of spring thunder wakes up the insects that are hibernating in the soil. In fact, insects can't hear thunder, and what really awakens animals is not the rumbling thunder, but the warming weather, the spring of the earth, and the gradual rise in temperature.
Stinged three times
One Wait: Peach Shihua. This "peach" refers to the northern mountain peach, not the southern peach. The peak flowering period of the mountain peach is early March, about 20 days earlier than the peach hairy peach. The ancients regarded peach blossoms as the first flower in the 72 phenology of the 24 solar terms, symbolizing the occurrence of yang and the growing sense of spring. "Peach blossoms with human faces" reflect the warm spring scene, and the peach trees bloom early because of the vigorous synchronization with the yang energy, taking on the important task of opening the color order of spring.
Erhou Cang Gengming. The yellow bird, also known as Canggeng, is the symbol of spring in classical poetry. From "Peach Shihua" to "Cang Gengming", it marks the overture of spring flowers blooming and birds singing and flowers. The poet uses sentences such as "playing the yellow warbler" and "the delicate warbler is just crying" to describe its tactful singing, conveying the meaning of spring awakening and vitality. As a messenger of the change of seasons, the yellow bird awakens the earth with its bright singing voice, like the notes of nature, playing the symphony of spring.
The eagle turns into a dove. In spring and March, yang energy grows, following the way of "living without killing, giving without taking". At the time of the sting, the bird of prey eagle seemed to receive the code of life, and its behavior turned gentle, as if it was incarnated as a turtledove. However, at this time, there was no eagle shadow, and the sound of doves was everywhere, and the people mistakenly thought that the eagle had become a dove. In fact, the eagle hides and incubates its offspring, and the dove is at the time of courtship and reproduction, and the rhythm of life of the two is just at the wrong peak.
Flower trade winds
In the flower trade winds of the stinging solar terms, the first to bloom isPeach blossoms, symbolizing the initial bloom of spring. And Bai Juyi's sentence "The world is full of fragrant flowers in April, and the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are in full bloom", which shows that the ancients understood the truth of "high places are not cold" very early.
This is not far behindBegoniaThis golden flower was depicted in the pen of the Song Dynasty poet Fan Chengda as "a green belt of gold, for whom to open the poor spring". It decorates the scenery of early spring with unique colors and conveys the message of the arrival of spring.
The last thing to mention is:RoseThe image of the rose in the poem is changeable and emotional, and Qin Guan's famous sentence "The affectionate peony contains spring tears, and the powerless rose lies on the branches" shows the soft and delicate side of the rose. In contrast, the late Tang Dynasty general Gao Yu's poem "The crystal curtain moves and the breeze rises, and the shelves are full of roses in a courtyard" is more fresh and natural, depicting the scene of roses blooming and fragrant in early summer.
Farming begins
It is an important time node in the farming culture, and the working people of our country have attached great importance to the solar terms since ancient times, and regarded it as the beginning of spring ploughing.
There is an agricultural proverb that "when the spring thunder sounds, everything grows", so this stage is not only the day when the insects wake up, but also the time when the plants begin to grow.
The proverb "The spring breeze swings the willows, and the daughter-in-law becomes ugly" vividly depicts the living conditions of peasant families, especially women, when spring arrives in an agrarian society. Because spring ploughing has begun, the women are too busy working in the fields to take care of their grooming, giving people the illusion of "becoming ugly". However, this kind of "ugliness" contains hard work and love for life, and embodies a simple and true beauty of labor.
During the spring ploughing period, every household is busy, and the time that can usually be used for small talk is dedicated to the fields at this time. Therefore, there is a saying that "the spring thunder sounds, and the farmer is busy" and "after the sting festival, the in-laws have something to say in the field". And "after the stinging festival, the cultivated land can not rest" emphasizes the urgency and importance of spring ploughing.
The ancients knew that cultivation is not only about taking care of the land, but also about grasping the timing of the day. The proverb "Stunned Ning, all things come into being" is to hope that the weather at the time of the sting can be peaceful and stable, so as to facilitate the growth of all things. After spring ploughing, people look forward to the moistening of spring rains to bring plenty of moisture to the new crops.
By observing the changes in the weather, the ancients figured out the opposite trend of the temperature of the spring equinox, that is, "warm and cold". However, under the influence of global warming, the current weather patterns have become complex and changeable, and no longer fully follow the experience of the past, and the warm spring equinox may be followed by the warm spring equinox, and the temperature continues to rise. But even so, the warming of the sting is not stable, and the "restoration" of cold air also occurs from time to time, so there is a saying that "the wind blows in the sting, and the winter is over".
Although it is often said that "we rely on the sky for food", the true wisdom of farming is to take the harvest into our own hands through hard work while conforming to nature. For example, the proverb "hoe three inches", that is, through hoeing and loosening the soil, the soil structure can be improved, and the ability to retain water can be enhanced, as if each hoe will bring a few inches of rain, although it is impossible to really achieve rainfall, but it shows that farmers can partially make up for the lack of natural conditions through hard work.
As Jia Siqian said in "Qi Min's Technique": "Ploughing the field first, harvesting the second, and planting grain the third." It also highlights the primacy of farming in the entire agricultural production process, and believes that only when basic farming is done well, subsequent sowing, management and harvesting can be guaranteed.
Spring ploughing, as an important beginning of the year's plan, its status can be seen.
Stinging customs
On the second day of February, the dragon raised its head
The second day of February, also known as the Dragon Head Festival, the Spring Dragon Festival or the Xinglong Festival, is generally dated around the time of the Lunar Calendar. This day symbolizes the arrival of spring and the revival of all things in traditional Chinese culture, the thawing of the land, the circulation of air and the earth, and the hibernating insects and animals begin to be active.
In terms of food customs, there are a variety of foods symbolized by the "dragon" in various places. For example, old Beijingers have a tradition of eating "dragon scales" on the second day of February, that is, spring cakes as thin as scales, fried with various vegetables, rolled up and eaten; People in some parts of the north eat noodles on this day, which is known as "eating dragon whiskers" or "picking dragon heads"; Eating pancakes is figuratively called "eating dragon skin"; Because of its shape and characteristics, dumplings have sayings such as "eating dragon ears" and "eating dragon horns". Residents in Jilin will also deliberately leave the pig's head of the fat pig killed at the end of the year to eat it on February 2 to feel the festive atmosphere of the Dragon Head Festival. Farmers in Shandong are known for their frugal life, as the saying goes, "after the second day of February, there is no more bowl of cake", and the "bowl of cake on February 2nd" here has become a symbol of a special season to enjoy the afterglow of the last year, and people take this opportunity to enjoy the food, as if they are completing a solemn farewell ceremony.
In addition to the dragon-related customs, there are a number of other events that have the meaning of blessing on the second day of February. For example, in Jining, Shandong Province and other places, there is a tradition of hoarding (also known as "ash hoarding", "enclosing the warehouse", "painting the warehouse" or "filling the warehouse"), and the villagers will sprinkle the granary pattern on the ground with plant ash in the early morning of this day, and sprinkle the grains in it, so as to pray for a full grain warehouse and a good harvest in the new year. In this process, even though the image of the dragon plays an important role in many activities, the agricultural culture and practices such as hoarding also reflect people's expectations of a good harvest and abundance, and at this point, the theme of the "dragon" can temporarily give way to these simple and direct prayers.
Sacrifice to the god of thunder, covering the drum skin
Folklore has it that the god of thunder was a sacred giant bird with a majestic body and great strength. It fluttered its wings and soared above the nine heavens, holding a powerful hammer in its hand, and whenever lightning pierced the sky, the deafening thunder was the majestic movement stirred up by the collision between the thunder god wielding the hammer and the heavens and the earth.
There is also a legend that the god of thunder is the adopted son of King Wen of Zhou, named Lei Zhenzi. He had a pointed beak and a bare face, a bare chest, and two huge wings on his back. As soon as the sting arrived, he began to inspect the earth. He scolded the sleepy insects, woke up the hibernating beasts, and occasionally swung an iron cone to beat some unfilial children.
Every year when it comes to the solar term of stinging, the earth has just woken up from its slumber, and when everything is ready to be revitalized, Thor will rise above the clouds and strike the hammer with the power of thunder, which not only awakens the hibernating life, but also symbolizes the arrival of the ** season of spring ploughing and sowing. The peasants deeply believed that if the roar of the thunder god could be heard on the day of the sting, it would be an auspicious omen from heaven, which meant that the coming year would be full of crops and six animals would be prosperous; Conversely, if there is no thunder, it is considered ominous and may face the challenge of a poor harvest or even famine.
Therefore, in that era when science and technology were not yet developed, the folk were full of awe and worship for natural phenomena, and every time they were stung, every household would carefully prepare, draw the image of the god of thunder on the portrait, paste it in a conspicuous place at home, and put on the pious offerings, praying for the blessing of the god of thunder, and bless the hard work of the year in exchange for a full harvest. What's more, they will go to the thunder god temple in the village together, burn incense and candles, and hold solemn sacrifice ceremonies, and over time, a unique folk tradition of "stunning the thunder god" has been formed.
The god of thunder, the god in charge of the power of thunder, is revered as the guardian saint of the solar terms in people's beliefs and customs, carrying the simple cognition of the ancients on the laws of nature and the beautiful yearning of the agrarian society for harmonious coexistence and abundant harvest.
Beat the villain and sacrifice the white tiger
There was a thunderclap on the ground, and the reptiles and ants responded. The sound of stinging thunder not only woke up the hibernating insects, but also the big insects in the mountains and forests - the tigers. In Guangdong, Fujian and other places, there is a unique custom on this day: beating villains and sacrificing white tigers.
People hold wormwood in their hands, smoke the four corners of their homes, and use the fragrance to drive away snakes, insects, mosquitoes, rats and musty smells, which has evolved into a custom of "beating villains" to drive away bad luck. People take out clothes or portraits that symbolize the villain, and beat them with wooden slippers while chanting "mantras" to beat the villain, hoping that pests and bad luck will not disturb them.
According to local legend, the white tiger is a god who controls the right and wrong of the tongue, and it comes out to forage for food and hurt people during the sting season. If people accidentally bump into the white tiger, they will be framed by the villain, and their lives will be full of all kinds of troubles. Therefore, the people have held a ceremony to sacrifice the white tiger on the day of the sting, in order to seek peace and auspiciousness.
However, the white tiger sacrificed is not a real tiger, but is carefully made of bamboo, wood and paper. These tigers have yellow and black spots, hideous complexions, and fangs, and look very terrifying. People will "feed" the white tiger with fresh pig blood, hoping that it will not hurt people again when it is full. At the same time, raw pork will be smeared on the tiger's mouth, which means that it will no longer play with right and wrong, and make people's lives more peaceful.
Hunan "stings shrimp toads".
At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, in some villages in Hunan, there was a peculiar custom - "stinging shrimp and toads". During this season, people use tools to make various noises in order to make the toads frightened and not dare to chirp or flee the area. Guangxu's "Leiyang County Chronicles" recorded: "If you are stunned and like cold, if you don't hear the frog's song, the seedlings will not be bad." Yan Yun: Frightened and cold, the rice beating group. This sentence conveys an important message: frog chirping, as a phenological indicator in nature, is used by local farmers to optimize the growth of seedlings. If the climate is cold during the sting season, it is beneficial to agricultural production. On the contrary, once the frogs are crowning, it means that the temperature starts to warm, and the farmers need to re-soak the seeds and raise the seedlings to prepare for the next agricultural activities. The core cultural connotation of "stinging shrimp toad" is also the hope to protect seedlings and hope to obtain a bumper agricultural harvest.
Screaming Mountain
There is a tea proverb: "If you are stung, the tea will be shelled." "In the sting season, the tea trees grow buds, and the tea farmers start the year-round picking season. In the Wuyi Mountain area of Fujian Province in China, it has been popular since ancient times to "shout the mountain" in the stinging season, and a "tea sprout" shouts out the joy and expectation of tea farmers.
Shouting out of the mountain is a folk custom that began in the Tang Dynasty and prevailed in the Song Dynasty. According to records, the scene of the Song Dynasty Wuyi Mountain area stinging and shouting mountain is very spectacular, led by the master of ceremonies to sacrifice, the sacrifice is completed, the people shout "tea sprouts" in unison, "Beiyuan Beilu" is recorded from this: "Spring insects sting, thousands of thunders, a moment of prosperity, is truly spectacular." ”
In modern times, the local shouting mountain is divided into two kinds, one is the stinging shouting mountain, mainly shouting "tea sprouts", and the other is Gu Yu shouting "picking tea". The reason why we chose to "shout mountain" in the Guyu solar term is to comply with the differences in tea picking time of different varieties. Although the time has changed, the desire for a good harvest has not changed.
Eat pears in shock
In the sting season, the dry climate makes people feel dry. Folk have the custom of eating pears, because pears are cold and sweet, can moisten the lungs and relieve cough, nourish yin and clear heat, and help relieve the discomfort caused by spring dryness. In addition, "pear" is homophonic with "leave", which means to keep the pain away; The pear is shaped like a plowshare, symbolizing the reminder of the start of spring ploughing. Therefore, in this solar term, people not only pay attention to health care by eating pears, but also place good wishes for agricultural activities and healthy life.
Selected Poems of Surprise
Kanda House (excerpt).
Don Wei Yingwu.
The light rain is new, and a thunderstorm begins.
The Tian family has a few days of leisure, and farming has started from here.
The spring rain stimulates the growth of all things, and the first spring thunder marks the beginning of the sting; Since then, the farmers have no time to spare, and have been busy cultivating and sowing seeds since they were stunned.
Yi Que Xing and Zhu Pingshi (excerpt).
Don Ja Island. The birds are both male and female, and the spring thunder is stinging.
The mouth is the mud of the Yellow River, and the sky is empty.
After the spring thunder, the swallows are full of vitality, swallows fly double, build nests in the mud, and soar to the sky, fully demonstrating the vitality of life and the arrival of spring.
Moonlight. Don Liu Fangping.
The darker moonlight is half a family, and the Beidou is dry and the Nandou is oblique.
Tonight, I know that the spring is warm, and the sound of insects is new through the green curtain.
The stars and moon are slanting to the west, the night is quiet, the spring night is warmer, the sound of insects is everywhere, and it is already the warm season of spring. In a few words, the poem presents a beautiful, serene and vibrant picture.
Joke answer Yuanzhen. Song Ouyang Xiu.
The spring breeze is suspicious of the end of the world, and there are no flowers in the mountain city in February.
There are still oranges in the branches of the residual snow, and the frozen thunder is about to sprout.
At night, I heard that I was homesick and sick in the New Year.
was once a guest of Luoyang flowers, and Ye Fang didn't need to sigh even though it was late.
This poem depicts the unique scene of the mountain town in early spring, and the poet begins with the sentence "The spring breeze is doubtful that the end of the world is not reached" to express the feeling that spring has not yet arrived in remote places. In February, the mountain castle has not yet seen flowers bloom, and the remnants of snow have piled up on the branches, suggesting that the winter cold is still there. And the stinging frost thunder shakes, and spring returns to the earth, as if urging bamboo shoots to break through the soil and want to sprout.