立春：岁首新启，阳气初生
立春，位列二十四节气之首，通常于公历 2 月 3 – 5 日交节。此时，东风送暖，大地解冻，蛰虫始振，万物复苏，新的轮回自此开启，它宛如大自然奏响的序曲，宣告着春天的正式来临，也预示着一年农事活动的开端。
一、立春的历史渊源
立春在中国古代农耕文化中占据着极为重要的地位，其历史源远流长。早在先秦时期，就已存在迎春之礼，天子会亲率三公九卿等前往东郊迎春，祈求丰收与太平。至汉朝，立春被定为重要节日，朝廷举行盛大的迎春仪式，文武百官皆着青衣，郡国县道官亦有相应礼仪，且放假休息，这种对立春的重视一直延续至唐宋，仪式更为隆重，内容也愈发丰富。明清时期，立春习俗依旧盛行，如民间的打春牛活动，人们通过鞭打泥塑春牛，寓意劝耕促农，象征着新一年农事的启动，反映出古人对农业生产的高度重视以及对风调雨顺、五谷丰登的殷切期盼。
二、立春的民俗文化
（一）饮食习俗
立春有诸多特色饮食习俗。吃春饼是立春的经典传统，春饼薄如蝉翼，常搭配豆芽、韭菜、肉丝等新鲜蔬菜与肉类，人们将各种食材卷入饼中食用，称为 “咬春”，寓意迎新纳吉，饱含着人们对春天的美好期待与对新一年的憧憬。春卷也是立春时节广受欢迎的美食，其外皮酥脆，内馅丰富多样，多以蔬菜、肉类或豆沙等为主，制作精巧，口感鲜美，同样承载着 “咬春” 的美好寓意，象征着在新的一年里生活有滋有味、幸福美满。此外，部分地区还有吃萝卜的习俗，萝卜味辛性凉，有通气助消化等功效，人们认为吃萝卜可解春困，让身体在春季保持清爽活力，以更好地迎接新的开始。
（二）传统活动
除了饮食方面的习俗，立春还有许多饶有趣味的传统活动。贴春字便是其中之一，人们会在门户、墙壁等处贴上写有 “春” 字的红纸条，或绘制精美的春图，以增添节日的喜庆氛围，表达对春天的欢迎与对吉祥如意的祈愿。还有剪春花的活动，人们用剪刀剪出各种精美的花朵图案，如梅花、桃花等，装饰于家中各处，展现出对春天繁花盛开景象的期盼与喜爱，同时也体现了民间艺术的独特魅力。此外，立春时节，民间有互赠春牛图的习俗，春牛图上印有二十四节气及农夫耕田图样，人们借此传递对新一年农业丰收的美好祝愿，鼓励彼此勤劳耕作，积极开展农事活动。
三、立春的文化意义
立春作为二十四节气的开篇，蕴含着深厚的文化意义。它象征着阴阳交替、新旧更迭，是大自然节律变化的重要标志，体现了中国人对自然规律的深刻洞察与敬畏之心。在农耕社会，立春的到来为人们带来了新的希望与生机，其相关民俗活动不仅丰富了人们的物质与精神生活，更传承了中华民族悠久的历史文化与传统价值观。吃春饼、春卷等饮食习俗，以及贴春字、剪春花等传统活动，都凝聚着人们对家庭团圆、生活幸福、风调雨顺的美好向往，反映了中华民族对和谐美好生活的不懈追求。立春犹如一条文化纽带，将人与自然、历史与现代紧密相连，使中华民族的文化基因得以代代相传，在岁月长河中熠熠生辉。
The Beginning of Spring: The New Start of the Year, the Initial Rise of Yang Qi
The Beginning of Spring, ranking first among the twenty-four solar terms, usually occurs around February 3 – 5 in the Gregorian calendar. At this time, the east wind brings warmth, the earth thaws, hibernating insects start to stir, and all things revive. A new cycle thus begins. It is like a prelude played by nature, announcing the official arrival of spring and also heralding the start of a year’s farming activities.
1. Historical Origin of the Beginning of Spring
The Beginning of Spring held an extremely important position in ancient Chinese agricultural culture and has a long history. As early as the pre-Qin period, there was already a ceremony to welcome spring. The emperor would lead the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers and others to the eastern suburbs to welcome spring and pray for a good harvest and peace. In the Han Dynasty, the Beginning of Spring was designated as an important festival. The imperial court held grand spring-welcoming ceremonies. Civil and military officials all wore green clothes, and local officials also had corresponding ceremonies and had holidays. This attention to the Beginning of Spring continued until the Tang and Song Dynasties, with even more solemn ceremonies and richer contents. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the customs of the Beginning of Spring were still popular. For example, the activity of “beating the spring ox” among the people. People beat a clay spring ox, which implies exhorting farming and symbolizes the start of farming in the new year, reflecting the ancients’ great attention to agricultural production and their eager expectations for favorable weather and a bumper harvest.
2. Folk Culture of the Beginning of Spring
(1) Dietary Customs
There are many characteristic dietary customs in the Beginning of Spring. Eating spring pancakes is a classic tradition. Spring pancakes are as thin as cicada wings and are often paired with fresh vegetables and meats such as bean sprouts, leeks, shredded meat, etc. People roll various ingredients into the pancakes and eat them, which is called “biting spring”, implying welcoming the new and good luck and full of people’s beautiful expectations for spring and the new year. Spring rolls are also popular delicacies in the Beginning of Spring. Their outer skins are crispy and the fillings are diverse, mostly consisting of vegetables, meats or red bean paste, etc. They are exquisitely made and taste delicious and also carry the beautiful meaning of “biting spring”, symbolizing a delicious and happy life in the new year. In addition, in some regions, there is a custom of eating radishes. Radishes are pungent, cool in nature and have effects such as promoting digestion. People believe that eating radishes can relieve spring lethargy and keep the body refreshed and energetic in spring to better welcome the new start.
(二) Traditional Activities
In addition to dietary customs, there are many interesting traditional activities in the Beginning of Spring. One of them is pasting the character “Chun” (spring). People paste red paper strips with the character “Chun” or draw beautiful spring pictures on doors, walls and other places to add a festive atmosphere to the festival and express their welcome to spring and wishes for good luck. There is also the activity of cutting spring flowers. People use scissors to cut out various exquisite flower patterns such as plum blossoms and peach blossoms and decorate them in various parts of the home, showing their expectations and love for the blooming scene of spring flowers and also reflecting the unique charm of folk art. In addition, during the Beginning of Spring, there is a custom of presenting spring ox pictures among the people. The spring ox pictures are printed with the twenty-four solar terms and the patterns of farmers ploughing. People use them to convey their good wishes for a good agricultural harvest in the new year and encourage each other to work hard and actively carry out farming activities.
3. Cultural Significance of the Beginning of Spring
As the opening of the twenty – four solar terms, the Beginning of Spring contains profound cultural significance. It symbolizes the alternation of yin and yang and the replacement of the old with the new. It is an important sign of the change of nature’s rhythm and reflects the Chinese people’s profound insight into and awe of the laws of nature. In agricultural society, the arrival of the Beginning of Spring brought new hope and vitality to people. Its related folk activities not only enriched people’s material and spiritual lives but also inherited the long – history and culture and traditional values of the Chinese nation. Dietary customs such as eating spring pancakes and spring rolls, as well as traditional activities such as pasting the character “Chun” and cutting spring flowers, all embody people’s beautiful longing for family reunion, happy life and favorable weather, reflecting the Chinese nation’s unremitting pursuit of a harmonious and beautiful life. The Beginning of Spring is like a cultural bond that closely connects people with nature, history and modernity, enabling the cultural genes of the Chinese nation to be passed down from generation to generation and shine brightly in the long river of history.