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，中国大部分地区的越冬作物，进入生长阶段。对于常年处于温暖气候下的岭南，春对于人的“生长”意义，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.

在岭南，春季去户外踏青、吃春菜的习俗，已有千年的历史。

昔日，开平苍城镇的谢姓，有个不成节的习俗，叫作“春分吃春菜”。“春菜”是一种野苋菜。逢春分那天，全村人都去采摘春菜。采回的春菜一般与鱼片“滚汤”，名曰“春汤”。有顺口溜道：“春汤灌脏，洗涤肝肠。阖家老少，平安健康。”

一年自春，人们祈求家宅安宁，身壮力健。从养生的角度来说，踏青、春游、吃春菜的做法也是颇有智慧。春分是自然界阴阳二气达到平衡，阳气在数量上开始超过阴气的转折时刻，这个时节饮食起居稍有疏忽容易出现气血紊乱，导致疾病的发生。而很多野菜具有补虚、清肝、食疗价值。这个时刻，阴阳平衡极易被打破，情绪容易波动。此时，出外踏青郊游，寄情山水，在大自然中平静心境，同时还能采摘食用春菜，确有助于人体与物候、景色融合，达到身体、精神的平和。

而对于有4500年农耕文化的岭南，人们对农业生产的民俗也非常重视。在东莞，旧时立春要行开耕礼，迎接芒神和土牛，撒谷、撒豆求消灾，并拿出随身的生菜堆煎吃以示迎接生气。排瑶地方规定农历三月初三为“开耕节”。这天，必杀鸡、磨豆腐敬奉祖先，祈求当年风调雨顺、五谷丰登，所以这天又称为“许愿节”。而盛产荔枝的化州县，则要在春分前后，望着满树的果蕾，备上纸宝、蜡烛，以螃蟹代三牲入园拜荔枝。至今，这里的拜荔枝节和拜荔枝歌还在留传。

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

乐昌

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

连州

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

顺德

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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