The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Awakening of Insects （Chinese：驚蟄） falls on Mar 5 and ends on Mar 19 this year.中國傳統(tǒng)農(nóng)歷將一年分為二十四節(jié)氣。今年的驚蟄從3月5日開始，在3月19日結(jié)束。Awakening of Insects signals a rise in temperature and increased rain fall. As the third solar term in the lunar year, its name alludes to the fact that animals sleeping in winter are awakened by spring thunder and that the earth begins to come back to life. It is the key time for spring agricultural activities.驚蟄的到來預(yù)示著氣溫的升高和降雨量的增加。作為農(nóng)歷的第三個節(jié)氣，顧名思義，驚蟄意味著冬眠的動物被春雷喚醒，大地上萬物復(fù)蘇。此時中國大部分地區(qū)進(jìn)入了春耕的季節(jié)。Here are 6 things you may not know about Awakening of Insects.以下是關(guān)于驚蟄你可能不知道的6件事。1.Spring thunder cracks the sky1、春雷徹響天際The spring thunder is most noticeable during the Awakening of Insects solar term. An old Chinese saying goes: "If the first spring thunder crashes before the Awakening of Insects solar term, there will be abnormal weather that year." The Awakening of Insects falls after the end of winter and before the beginning of spring. Wind during this period is an important factor in weather forecasting.驚蟄節(jié)氣最顯著的特征就是春雷響起。在中國有句古話：“未過驚蟄先打雷，四十九天云不開�！斌@蟄往往介于冬末春初之間。驚蟄期間的風(fēng)也是預(yù)測后期天氣的一個重要依據(jù)。Modern meteorological science shows that around the Awakening of Insects, the earth becomes humid and the hot air near the surface rises； meanwhile, the hot humid air from the north is strong and creates frequent winds. For this reason, thunder occurs in this period. China covers a large range of latitudes from north to south, so the first spring thunder appears at different times in different areas.現(xiàn)代氣象科學(xué)顯示，驚蟄前后，大地濕度漸高，而近地面的熱氣上升，同時，北方的濕熱空氣勢力較強(qiáng)，活動頻繁，導(dǎo)致這個時期春雷陣陣。由于我國南北跨度大，春雷始鳴的時間遲早不一。2.Spring ploughing2、春耕The Awakening of Insects is an extremely important time for farmers and is widely seen as the beginning of the busiest time for agricultural work. During this period, most parts of China experience the quickest rise in temperatures, with the average level reaching above 10 degrees Celsius, and there is a marked increase in sunshine, which provides good natural conditions for farming.對農(nóng)民來說，驚蟄是非常重要的一個節(jié)氣，它被廣泛視為一年農(nóng)忙的開始。中國大部分地區(qū)氣溫在此期間上升最快，平均氣溫達(dá)到10攝氏度以上，并且光照明顯增強(qiáng)，為春耕提供了良好的自然條件。Old Chinese sayings such as "once the Awakening of Insects comes, spring ploughing never rests" reveal the importance of this term to farmers.古諺說“過了驚蟄節(jié)，春耕不能歇”，顯示了這個節(jié)氣對農(nóng)民的重要性。3.Offering sacrifices to the white tiger3、祭白虎According to ancient Chinese folklore, a white tiger is the creature that brings quarrels and disputes. It always begins hunting during the Awakening of Insects, and sometimes bites people. It is said that those bitten by a white tiger will encounter evil villains in their life that bring obstructions and bad luck. Therefore people offer sacrifices to the white tiger during the Awakening of Insects to protect themselves.根據(jù)中國古代民間傳說，白虎是口舌、是非之神，每年都會在驚蟄時節(jié)出來覓食，有時會咬人。據(jù)說那些被白虎咬到的人，一生中會遇到邪惡，諸事不順，運氣不佳。因此，人們在驚蟄那天祭白虎，以保護(hù)自己。When practicing this old custom, people draw the white tiger on paper, and then smear pig’s blood and pork on its mouth. This means the tiger is fed so that it would not bite people, avoiding bad luck and conflict.祭白虎，就是畫一只白虎在紙上，再在它的嘴上涂豬血或者豬油，意思是讓它吃飽后不再咬人，避免壞運氣和是非矛盾。4.Beating "villains"4. 打小人"Villain" hitting originated in the Tang Dynasty （618-907） and it’s a folk ritual popular in Guangdong and Hong Kong. The custom is practiced during the Awakening of Insects to expel the "villain" and to bring good luck. People often assign a specific "witch" （usually an elderly woman） to "beat the villains". They use paper cut in the shape of humans to represent “villains” in their lives and the "witch" would use shoes or other tools to hit the paper to expel bad luck.打“小人”起源于唐代（618-907年），它是起源于廣東、香港民間的巫術(shù)儀祀儀式。驚蟄驅(qū)逐“小人”，會帶來好運。人們經(jīng)常指派特定的“女巫”（通常是一位老年婦女）去“打小人”。他們用剪紙剪出人類的形狀，代表生活中的“小人”，“女巫”會用鞋子或其他工具去打“紙小人”，驅(qū)逐厄運。In Hong Kong, the Swan neck bridge between Causeway Bay and Wan Chai has become a popular place for people to beat villains.在香港，銅鑼灣及灣仔之間的鵝頸橋成為了打小人的熱門圣地。5.A good time for fishing5、釣魚好時節(jié)Around the Awakening of Insects, hibernating animals wake up, and so do fish. They swim from deep water to shallow water in search of food, mating and bearing young. It is a good time for fishing.驚蟄前后，動物從冬眠中醒來，魚兒也不例外。他們從深水游到淺水中來覓食，交配和產(chǎn)卵，正是釣魚的好時機(jī)。Fishing can provide mental and physical relaxation, especially for people living in the city. Driving to the suburbs, fishing in a lake, bathing in the sunlight, enjoying the singing birds, fragrant flowers and waving willows make for a perfect weekend in spring.釣魚可以帶來身心的放松，尤其是對生活在城市里的人。開車來到郊外的湖邊，沐浴在陽光下，聆聽小鳥的歌唱，享受清新的花香，柳樹隨風(fēng)飄揚(yáng)，春天的周末如此完美。6.Eating pears6、驚蟄吃梨Eating pears around the Awakening of Insects is a widely-practiced custom in China. As the weather gets warmer and the air becomes dry, people tend to feel their mouths are parched and tongues dry, which can cause colds or coughs. A pear is sweet, juicy and cold, moistening the lungs to arrest a cough. Therefore, pears are highly recommended during the Awakening of Insects.我國民間素有驚蟄日吃梨的習(xí)俗。隨著天氣變暖，氣候比較干燥，人們很容易口干舌燥，此起感冒或咳嗽。梨味甘，多汁，性寒，有潤肺止咳的功效。因此，驚蟄時節(jié)應(yīng)多吃梨。
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