Solar Terms 101: Kiss the Ice Goodbye and Take a Bite of Spring

The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 节气 jiéqì (solar terms) based on seasonal changes and natural phenomenon. They play an important role in guiding agricultural activities even to this day. But even city-dwellers like us can enjoy them. Each solar term has its own associated customs, traditions, and even recipes. In Solar Terms 101, we delve into what makes each one special...

Name of the solar term: 立春 lìchūn lit. “Beginning of Spring” 
Gregorian date: Feb 4 +/- a day (Feb 4, 2024)

What is lichun all about

Let’s raise a toast to the beginning of spring, which actually starts today. Ancient Chinese observed the rotation of the Big Dipper in the sky and discovered its connection with the apparent motion of the earth's orbit, thus providing a foundation for the 24 solar term system. In Chinese astrology, the spring equinox is seen as the starting point of the annual cycle and the position of the sun on that day is set as zero degrees solar longitude, but culturally people still regard lichun as the first of all 24 solar terms which will arrive when the solar longitude reaches 315 degrees in the sky.

Meteorologically, even though the coldest season has passed and the subsolar point is gradually moving northward, the weather in the majority of China during this season remains cold and windy. Only regions to the south of the Tropic of Cancer, such as the southern areas of Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, and the entirety of Hainan, may begin to feel the warm breeze of spring.

The micro seasons of lichun

The natural world is about to light up

The micro seasons of lichun feature an array of events that portend the advent of spring. The first is called 东风解冻 dōngfēng jiědòng (the east wind defrosts the land) thanks to ancient Chinese who mainly resided around the reaches of the Yellow River. For these riverside dwellers, a wind from the east ocean was expected to bring warmth to the land.

The second micro season is called 蛰虫始振 zhé chóng shǐ zhèn which means that insects that stay dormant during the winter will begin to reappear in this lively new world. The final micro season, 鱼陟负冰 yú zhì fù bīng (ice carried by the fish), is a result of the wild imagination of the ancient Chinese who saw melting ice floating on the surface of the lakes and rivers.

Pat the spring bull before getting 

down to business in the field

Lichun holds an important status culturally, not only because it is thought of as the first solar term to kick off the bunch, but also due to the fact that it marks the beginning of another sowing and farming season, which was and is a critical element of the livelihood of millions of farmers in China.

No gods of any other seasons would receive such a courteous reception

The ritual of celebrating lichun and welcoming the god of spring dates back to the Han Dynasty, or about 2,000 years ago. It is not just some custom that prevailed among the villagers but was also taken quite seriously by local governments and even the royal family. The emperor would ride on a wagon decorated with light green and blue ornaments and flags to hold a prayer ceremony, while many people would dress in the same colors for the parade.

Over the centuries, the rituals celebrating lichun have become more about entertainment. By the time of the Song Dynasty, the ceremonies had evolved into a grand carnival hosted by the government that every class of society could take part in it. The whole celebration would start with the welcoming of the spring bull, a bull-shaped figure made from clay or paper and decorated with colorful ornaments that symbolize springtime. It would be accompanied by musical performances at the royal palace where the emperor would come out and knock on the spring bull with a colorful wooden rod to announce the advent of spring and remind people to not forget about the upcoming farming season.

A Ming Dynasty scroll displays the diverse activities during the ceremony to welcome spring

But for most farmers in northern China, there is still time before they need to get their feet muddy in the field again, so the ceremony became their last chance to enjoy their winter break. The villagers usually spent weeks planning all manner of entertainment, from theatre performances to acrobatics.

What to eat for lichun

Unlike the other solar terms, during which regions across China practice various and differing culinary rituals, on lichun, most everyone will take a bite of a spring roll or spring pancake.

Certainly healthy, but doesn't look so tasty

Despite the differences in form and cooking method, spring rolls and spring pancakes actually share a common ancestor, which is a plate of five "stimulating" vegetables that first appeared on the Chinese dining table in Wei and Jin Dynasties as a way to awaken the appetite and boost the immune system in preparation for the changing of the seasons.

But back then, the vegetables were eaten by themselves without any added carbs, and due to the scarcity of oil and grease, the vegetables were all consumed raw. The most common vegetables include but are not limited to garlic, green onion, green chive, bok choy, cilantro, and ginger. (Perhaps you can use this as a recipe for a historical keto salad.)

Now we're talking!

Later on, this dish was improved with milder seasonal veggies and was dubbed 春盘 chūn pán (spring plate). Yet, only in the Sui and Tang Dynasties did anyone begin to eat these veggies by rolling them up inside a steamed pancake. The prototype of the spring roll, a deep-fried pancake roll with veggie fillings, was also invented around the same time. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, thanks to more advanced oil pressing techniques, vegetable oil replaced animal fat in many recipes which also made them more affordable, and the vegetables used in the spring pancake were also cooked. Et voila, that’s how our familiar and beloved spring pancake and spring roll came into being. But enough talk, why not go make a plate of your own right now?

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Images: Twitter (@ricoquegin), Zhihu, 大锤说史

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