Jingzhe heralds the beginning of a thriving time in life

Editor's note

In her gufeng (ancient Chinese style) series "Joy with Grace," vlogger Xu Yue'er shares her love for traditional Chinese aesthetics and lifestyle. Featuring hanfu (traditional Han-style clothing), etiquette, art and folk culture, she takes us on a journey exploring the culture of China's 24 solar terms.

惊

JINGZHE

节

气

蛰

Jingzhe (惊蛰), also known as Insects Awaken, which is the third of China's 24 solar terms, falls today. It alludes to the fact that insects and animals sleeping in winter are awakened by spring thunder.

Peach blossom gradually begins to bloom from today, drawing out people who have stayed indoors over the winter to admire the flowers, enjoy outdoor activities, and begin their spring farming work.

In some regions of south China, the custom of "hanging peach blossoms" has evolved as a way of seeking good fortune.

Around the time of jingzhe, the "Flower Festival" is also celebrated, marking the "birthday" of all flowers.

As nature, including flowers, birds, fish, and insects, becomes more active, it was recorded in "Yudi Jisheng," an ancient Chinese geographical compendium, that fish in the water increase in number after jingzhe. They would line up so closely at the edges of bridges and banks that, from a distance, they appeared like moving stones, hence the term "jingzhe fish stones."

Jingzhe symbolizes the vitality of nature and heralds the beginning of a thriving and prosperous time in life.

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