Start of spring days celebrated across China

A girl plays with her mother among windmills in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2007. Over 5,000 windmills were set to decorate the Jianguomen area to celebrate the Beginning of Spring, the first of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Sunday.

According to the ancient Chinese calendar Sunday was "Lichun", or the start of spring days, which was marked nationwide with a range of activities mainly involving food, fun and games.

The Jianguomen neighborhood office in downtown Beijing on Sunday put up 5,000 colorful pinwheels at a plaza near the ancient observatory of the city.

"The sound of the pinwheels spinning in the spring breeze provide us with hope and good luck," said Wang Weidong, director of the office.

Many residents celebrated Lichun by eating an assortment of vegetables accompanied by pork, pancakes and spring rolls.

A spokesman for Tianfuhao Food Co.Ltd. of Beijing, a 260-year-old company, said they made more than 30 tons of the stewed pork for the start of spring days which again still fell short of demand.

Business was bustling on Sunday at the restaurant known as "King of Spring Pancakes" on Wulihe Street in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province . The restaurant owner said his eatery, with 11 tables, normally has sales of 3,000 yuan a day. On Sunday he made 8,000 yuan.

The traditional Chinese calendar, which has 12 months and 360 days, is also divided into 24 solar periods. "Lichun" is the first of the 24 solar periods. In ancient times, Chinese farmers used the system to guide their farming timetable.

Zhao Shu, chairman of Beijing Municipal Association of Folkways, is pleased to see traditional ways seem to be regaining popularity.

According to Zhao, in ancient times, the start of Lichun was more important and more celebrated than Spring Festival which celebrates the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is why it is also called Chinese New Year.

This year's Spring Festival or Chinese New Year's Day falls on Feb.18.

The Chinese State Council published last June its first list of intangible heritage, which included the 24 individually named solar periods.

Editor: Lency