On March 21, the lunar calendar is a spring equinox, and in a second, we have the fourth solar term of the twenty-four solar terms.So how much do you know about the vernal equinox? What is the meaning of "equinox" in the vernal equinox? Are there any interesting customs in the spring equinox?
1.Why is vernal equinox called "vernal equinox"?
The spring equinox, the autumnal equinox, the winter solstice and the summer solstice are called "两分两至" and are the four most important symbolic solar terms in the 24 solar terms. "二月中。分者半也，此当九十日之半，故谓之分。" said the lunar New Year's 72 pentad.In the spring equinox, the sun goes to the point where the sun goes to zero, and just in February, it is called the vernal equinox.
The vernal equinox, performance changes in the nature are like night and day length, "sections about chun-qiu theory" cloud: "vernal equinox, the Yin and Yang in half also, so both day and night and through flat" this is the biggest characteristic of the vernal equinox. This "Yin and Yang half" days each year have two, one is the spring equinox, the first is the autumnal equinox, so there is a saying: "春分秋分，昼夜平分".
Changing seasons, the four seasons cycle, the ancient people in real life, should be realized within a year of early season change characteristics of periodic, but must accurately grasp the cycle, need to go through a process of constant exploration. The method of measuring the day in the guymeter is very important. At the site of the Taoist temple 4,000 years ago, archaeologists have found a scale with a scale, which proved that our ancestors had mastered the method of measuring the day.
We often say that the results are immediate, through the observation of the shadow length, the ancient people have a precise grasp of the solar cycle of the year, and gradually have the ability to mark the scale for a year. The book,"Shangshu yaodian" records day, day, night and day, is the description of the changes of the sun in spring, summer, autumn and winter. It can be seen that the longest winter solstice and the shortest summer solstice of the sun's shadow were observed, followed by the equinox and autumnal equinox.
The ancient vernal equinox is a time to calibrate weights and measures. "The book of rites" : "(midspring moon) 日夜分，则同度量，钧衡石，角斗甬，正权概。" This is because the equinox is evenly divided day and night, and in the eyes of the ancients, there is an inherent meaning of heaven and earth.
2.What are the customs of the spring equinox?
In the spring equinox, The first:玄鸟至(The swallow come); The second:雷乃发声(Thunder is the voice); The third:候始电(The beginning of lightning). It is the season of spring thunder and lightning, and swallows fly from the south and build their nests in the eaves to give birth to children. The swallows, also known as Xuanwu, are the totem of the ancient Shang dynasty. It is said that Jane di, the mother of the Shang, swallowed the egg and became pregnant. Therefore, the Yin people linked the swallows with luck and procreation, and in February, when the swallows arrived, they held a solemn ceremony to worship the high god, and bless the population.
"The spring equinox arrives, the egg is beautiful." The custom of raising eggs on the popular spring equinox day.It's very simple -- find a fresh egg and try to put it on the table. It is said that anyone who puts up an egg is lucky for a year.
