February, March: Zhonghe Festival | Longtaitou Festival

blue dragon
blue dragon chasing the sun

The Zhonghe Festival, also known as the Blue Dragon Festival, is held on the first day of the second month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which occurs in February or March. It’s a celebration of the waking of the dragon that brings rain. It was an official festival in the Tang and Song Dynasties.

The Longtaitou Festival, also known as the Dragon-Raising-its-Head Festival, is held on the second day of the second month. It also celebrates the waking of the dragon and the brining of rain.

The dragon was regarded as the rain deity. The Dragon King or Dragon God is the god of water and weather. He can take many forms. As the Blue Dragon, he is the god of the east and of the essence of spring.

Farmers celebrate to ensure good rainfall and plowing conditions needed for a strong harvest.

Traditions:

  • Families pay respect to the Dragon King.
  • The house is cleaned. It’s now safe to sweep without sweeping away the luck from the New Year.
  • Fumes from herbs are used to chase out bugs.
  • People get their hair cut.
  • People eat long lin (dragon’s scales) spring-pancakes, long er (dragon’s ears) dumplings, and long xu (dragon’s beard) noodles, and long zi (dragon seeds) popcorn to bring rain and a good harvest.
  • Tofu and vegetable balls are made in East China’s Fujian province. The balls are laid out to dry with prayers for families and businesses. Afterward are put in bowls or red bags and held by up in a tray by someone for people to “fight over”. They are brought home and eaten.
  • Chengyao cakes are sold in East China’s Jiangsu province. They are a traditional cake made with sticky rice. If eaten on Longtaitou, “your waist will not hurt all year”.
  • In parts of the Shandong province, people eat fried beans.
  • Needlework and washing clothing is avoided.

A closely related celebration is the Feast of Excited Insects on March 5th.

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⇴ image from 百楽兎, wikipedia, (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

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