Introduction: What holiday is February 2nd? February 2nd is the traditional Chinese folk festival when the dragon raises its head. There are many legends about February 2nd. Among them, the most common story is about the Jade Emperor asking the dragon to rain in the East China Sea. If you are interested in the dragon raising its head on February 2nd, you would like to know the origin of the dragon raising its head. What is it? Then don’t miss the relevant introduction I compiled.
What is the festival on February 2nd?
The second day of February in the lunar calendar is commonly known as the Qinglong Festival. Legend has it that it is the day when the dragon raises its head. It is a tradition in rural my country. The festival is called "Dragon Head Festival".
Dragon raising its head is a traditional Chinese folk festival, held by the Han people and other ethnic groups as well. Dragon raises its head on the second day of the second lunar month every year, commonly known as Qinglong Festival. Legend has it that it is the day when the dragon raises its head. It is a traditional festival in rural areas of my country. People celebrate the "Dragon Head Festival" to show their respect to the dragon and pray for rain so that God can bless the harvest. Therefore, the "Dragon Head Festival" has been passed down to this day.
The legend about February 2
Legend story 1: It is said that in ancient times, there was a long drought in the Guanzhong area, and the Jade Emperor ordered the East China Sea dragon to sow rain. The little dragon was so playful that he dove into the river and never came out again. A young man went to the cliff to collect "dragon water" to muddy the river water. Xiaolong emerged from the river to compete with the young man. Xiaolong was defeated and had to make rain. The so-called "dragon raises its head" means that after hibernation, insects begin to wake up.
Legend story 2: There is another saying on "February 2" called Spring Dragon Festival. Xu Shen's "Shuowen Jiezi" records: "Dragon is the longest among scales. It can be dark or bright, thin or huge, long or short. It ascends to the sky at the spring equinox and dives into the abyss at the autumnal equinox." This is probably the "Spring Dragon" The earliest record of the custom of "Festival".
Legend story three: It is said that the father of King Yao, Emperor Ku (Emperor Jun), had four princesses: Jiang Yuan, Jian Di, Qingdu, and Chang Yi. Chang Yi originally had the lowest status, but since she gave birth to her son, everyone started to look at her differently. Qingdu has always been worried about not having a son. Someone told her that the Goddess Temple is very effective in praying for a child. As long as you are sincere, nothing will happen. Qingdu followed the witch's instructions and went to the temple to place offerings after the Lantern Festival dinner. Then he kowtowed three times respectfully, clasped his hands together, and prayed to the gods for a child.
There was a red dragon in the sky. Seeing the miserable situation in the world, he felt compassion and secretly rained. When the Jade Emperor found out about this, he pinned the red dragon under a mountain. The people begged for mercy for the Red Dragon, and the Jade Emperor said: "Unless the golden beans bloom."
On February 2, an old mother came from nowhere and kept shouting: "Sell the golden beans! "People were very puzzled. When they bought it home, they saw that it was some soybeans. When these soybeans were fried in a pot, they blossomed. When the Jade Emperor learned about it, he had no choice but to release the red dragon and demote it to the mortal world. After Qingdu prayed for a son from the Goddess Temple, he looked forward to good news every day.
One night, she dreamed of a red dragon following her, and she became pregnant from then on. On February 2 of the following year, there was lightning and thunder, and then the sun shone brightly. A golden light shone in the courtyard, and the child was born. He was named Fangxun, who later became King Yao. Fangxun was smart and lovable since he was a child. When he grew up and became an emperor, he plowed the fields with the people every February 2nd. The custom of the emperor plowing the fields was passed down in this way. During the Chinese New Year, the woodblock New Year paintings sold on the market, "The Emperor's Grandfather Makes the Golden Ox", are derived from this. Everyone has different opinions on the birth of King Yao. Later generations compiled a paragraph: The golden beans bloomed and the red dragon raised its head. King Yao was born on the second day of the second lunar month.
The history of the dragon raising its head on the second day of February
It originated in the Fuxi era. Plow the land yourself.”
"On February 2, the dragon raises its head", legend has it that it is the birthday of King Yao. During the reign of King Wu of Zhou Dynasty, a grand ceremony was held on the second day of February every year, calling on all officials, both civil and military, to plow the fields.
People in the Tang Dynasty regarded the second day of February as a special day, saying that it was a day to "welcome wealth and honor". On this day, people should eat "welcome wealth and honor fruits", which are snack foods. On the second day of February in the Song Dynasty, there was a "vegetable picking" royal banquet in the palace. However, these "February 2" activities in the Tang and Song Dynasties were not connected with the "Dragon Raises its Head".
In the Yuan Dynasty, February 2nd was clearly the day when the dragon raised its head. On this day, people popularly ate noodles, called "dragon beard noodles"; they also baked pancakes, called "dragon scales"; if Dumplings are called "dragon teeth". In short, they must be named after the parts of the dragon's body. After the Yuan Dynasty, people also called this day the Dragon Head Festival, Spring Dragon Festival or Qinglong Festival.
There is actually no big dragon in the legends of the people. That kind of dragon is based on the imagination of our ancestors based on snakes, earthworms, etc. The second day of the second lunar month coincides with the "Jingzhe" solar term. The weather is getting warmer. Many animals such as snakes, earthworms, frogs and some insects seem to be awakened from their sleep by the spring sunshine and spring thunder. People hope that the dragon will come out to suppress all harmful things. Poisonous insects, looking forward to a good harvest.