Springtime has come ! 立春 (Lìchūn)

Today (February 3, 2021) marks the first day of spring in China.

Even though Spring Festival is still more than a week away, today is the actual start of the new lunar year with the first solar term 立春 (Lìchūn, ‘beginning of spring ) as the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315°.

The lunar year consists of 24 solar terms which are again each divided into 3 pentads. The three pentads in Lichun are 东风解冻 ‘East wind thaw’ (East is associated with wood, wood generates fire, the air is warm and causes ice to thaw), 蛰虫始振 ‘hibernating insects waking up’ and 鱼上冰 ‘fish swimming upward near the ice’.

A common expression during Lichun is 一年之计在于春 ‘the whole year’s work depends on a good start in spring’…… A fresh start full of energy and with great ambitions.

春饼 chūnbǐng 'spring pancake' is a traditional food for Lichun but we celebrated the first spring day with dumplings and laba garlic for lunch. And blessed with a fresh, sunny and windy day to sweep for a clean and smiling spring 😊

#china #chinesesociety #chineseculture #chinesenewyear #springtime