SPRlNG lS WHEN THE HOPE FOR THE YEAR SPROUTS

Text by Wei Lei Translation by Tao Wenjia&Zheng Ying Photos by CFP

SPRlNG lS WHEN THE HOPE FOR THE YEAR SPROUTS

一年之望在于春

Text by Wei Lei Translation by Tao Wenjia&Zheng Ying Photos by CFP

春分后，中國大部分地區的越冬作物，進入生長階段。對于常年處于溫暖氣候下的嶺南，春對于人的“生長”意義，甚至更大。

After the Spring Equinox, crops that survived winter in most areas of China will begin to grow once again. For Lingnan, which is normally under a warmer climate, spring is even more significant for its meaning of growth.

In Lingnan, people have a history of going out in the spring, admiring the flowers, and eating “the spring vegetable” for more than a thousand years.

In the old days, the Xie family from Cangchen Town of Siyi county had a special tradition called “eating the spring vegetable on the Spring Equinox”. “The spring vegetable” is a kind of wild edible amaranth. On the Spring Equinox, the whole village went out and picked this vegetable, then boiled it with fi sh slices to make “spring soup”. There was a saying - “using the spring soup to cleanse their viscera, the whole family will be safe and healthy.”

A new year begins with spring, and people pray for their safety and health. For preserving your health, going out in spring and eating the spring vegetable is indeed ancient wisdom. The Spring Equinox is when the Qi of Yin and Yang reach a balance. After this day, the Qi of Yang will be more abundant than the Qi of Yin. At this specific time, if you aren't careful about your food and living, then there will be imbalance in your Qi and blood which can cause disease. Lots of wild vegetables can be helpful in cleansing your organs. Besides, the balance between Yin and Yang can be easily broken, and people's moods may become unsteady. Therefore, going out to enjoy spring among the mountains and waters to make inner peace while picking wild vegetables is indeed benefi cial for both physical and emotional tranquility.

Furthermore, Lingnan has inherited 4500 years of agricultural culture, so people there consider agricultural traditions important. In Dongguan, there are ceremonies for the beginning of ploughing and weeding. People welcome the god of fi eld and spread millets and beans to remove ill fortune. You also should eat the lettuce to welcome vitality. In Paiyao, the local government set the festival of the beginning of ploughing and weeding on the third of the third month in Lunar Calendar. On this day, chickens are slaughtered and Tofu is made to worship ancestors for a year of good weather and good harvest. So this day is also called the day of wish. Huazhou county is famous for its Lychee. People there will prepare candles, and sacrifi ces to the Lychee garden to worship those Lychee buds on Spring Equinox. Even now, you can still enjoy the Lychee worshiping festival and Lychee worshiping songs here.

在嶺南，春季去戶外踏青、吃春菜的習俗，已有千年的歷史。

昔日，開平蒼城鎮的謝姓，有個不成節的習俗，叫作“春分吃春菜”?！按翰恕笔且环N野莧菜。逢春分那天，全村人都去采摘春菜。采回的春菜一般與魚片“滾湯”，名曰“春湯”。有順口溜道：“春湯灌臟，洗滌肝腸。闔家老少，平安健康?！?/p>

一年自春，人們祈求家宅安寧，身壯力健。從養生的角度來說，踏青、春游、吃春菜的做法也是頗有智慧。春分是自然界陰陽二氣達到平衡，陽氣在數量上開始超過陰氣的轉折時刻，這個時節飲食起居稍有疏忽容易出現氣血紊亂，導致疾病的發生。而很多野菜具有補虛、清肝、食療價值。這個時刻，陰陽平衡極易被打破，情緒容易波動。此時，出外踏青郊游，寄情山水，在大自然中平靜心境，同時還能采摘食用春菜，確有助于人體與物候、景色融合，達到身體、精神的平和。

而對于有4500年農耕文化的嶺南，人們對農業生產的民俗也非常重視。在東莞，舊時立春要行開耕禮，迎接芒神和土牛，撒谷、撒豆求消災，并拿出隨身的生菜堆煎吃以示迎接生氣。排瑤地方規定農歷三月初三為“開耕節”。這天，必殺雞、磨豆腐敬奉祖先，祈求當年風調雨順、五谷豐登，所以這天又稱為“許愿節”。而盛產荔枝的化州縣，則要在春分前后，望著滿樹的果蕾，備上紙寶、蠟燭，以螃蟹代三牲入園拜荔枝。至今，這里的拜荔枝節和拜荔枝歌還在留傳。

1. YlNGDE

英德

In Guangdong, Yingde has one of the best idyllic sceneries, the “forest of mountains,” which arguably competes with the “forest of stones” in Guilin, and Zhangjiajie Mountains in Hunan Province. Besides, the city is also a well-known origin place of tea. Many people come to tea gardens in Yingde in spring to watch the spring sceneries and listen to tea farmers' lectures of tea planting, processing, making, and tasting.

2. LECHANG

樂昌

The famous layered terraces at Shanglijia Village in Lechang city look like glass in curled frames when they are fi lled with water. Besides this, the city has also been a stop of the Long March of the Red Army, and therefore has much too learn about its history.

3. LlANZHOU

連州

As the home to the “crystal pears,” Lianzhou has beautiful pear flowers like snow flakes during the spring season. On the 3rd March of the Lunar Calendar, local Longyao minor ethnics will hold a grand celebration to mark the start of their farming, which is interesting to see.

4. HEYUAN

河源

Growing over 12.21thousand acres lands of peaches, the Lianping region in Heyuan city is the largest peach base in South China. Every spring in Lianping you can witness the spectacular scene of numerous peach flowers in fields which stretch for miles.

5. SHUNDE

順德

Shude district in Foshan has made its name in the province with its delicious local food. In April and May, the fresh mulberry leaves best suit all kinds of meat including chicken, pork, and fi sh. It takes only a spoonful of salt to bring out the taste of freshness.

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