Thisisthetimewhenriversidewillowsaregreen,treesarefilledwithtwitteringbirds,andwheatgrowsastonishinglyfast.InsouthChina,thelandispaintedwithcolorfulflowers;rainfallincreasesinregionssouthoftheYangtzeriver,whileinnorthChina,wherespringrainisdeemedaspreciousascookingoil,rainwaterisstillinshortsupply,socropsfightacontinualwaragainstdrought.
Asitgetswarmer,flocksofbirdsthathaveflownsouthforthewinterreturnnorth.Theyflybackandforth,repairingtheiroldnests.Thisisagoodtimeofyearforpeopletogohikingorwalkinginthefields.
InChinesefolklore,itissaidthateggscanbebalanceduprightattheSpringEquinox.InsomepartsofChina,peoplebelievethepersonwhocanmakeaneggstanduponthisdaywillbecontinuallyblessedallyearlong.Well,accordingtoastronomersandphysicists,settingtheegguprighthasnothingtodowithtime,butwithmechanics鈥搒hiftingtheegg鈥檚centerofgravity.Thetrickistoholdtheegguprightuntiltheyolksinksdowntothebottom.Aneggwhichisatleastfourorfivedaysoldismoreinclinedtoallowtheyolktoreadjust.
AmongancientChinesepoemsonthesubjectofspring,鈥淭heWillow鈥漺rittenbyHeZhizhang(c.660鈥揷.740)duringtheTangDynasty(618-907)soundsalmostasgoodasspringitself:
Slenderbeautiesdressedinemeraldsurround,
Athousandbranchesdrooplikejadefringes.
Butdoyouknowwhocarvestheseslimleaves?
Thewindofearlyspringissharpasscissorblades.
(CompiledbyChinaTodaybasedonTheTwenty-FourSolarTermsPublishedbyDolphinBooks)