What
Jingzhe is the third solar term among the twenty-four solar terms in China, usually on March 5 or 6 every year. The word "Jingzhe" means: spring thunder awakens hibernating animals. But for the Chinese, the Waking of Insects is never just "the bug wakes up" - it is "the alarm clock for the whole world." When spring thunder rings, everything wakes up.
Why
Why is the Waking of Insect so important?
- Natural causes: During the Waking of Insects season, thunder begins in most areas of China. Spring thunder is the explosion of "yang energy" after it reaches a certain level. The static electricity accumulated in winter and the energy in the clouds are released during the hibernation season. The ancients observed that as soon as spring thunder rings, hibernating animals begin to move. That's why it's called "Jingzhe" - "Jing" means awakening, and "Zhe" means hibernation.
- Agricultural reasons: The Waking of Insects is the real beginning of "spring plowing". "On the Jingzhe Festival, the hoeing will not stop." Wheat sowing began in northern China and rice transplanting began in the south. During the Jingzhe season, farmers begin their busiest work of the year.
- Physical reasons: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the Waking of Insects should "nourish the liver". The liver governs dispersion, and liver qi is most active in spring. During the Waking of Insects season, the human body's yang energy begins to rise, making it easy to get angry. Chinese people eat pears to "clear away heat and moisturize the lungs" - eating pears during the Waking of Insects is a dietary therapy to "prevent internal heat".
How
Three major customs of Waking of Insects:
- Eat pears: "If you eat pears during the Waking of Insects, you will not cough for a year." Pears can clear away heat and moisturize the lungs. Eating pears during the Waking of Insects season is to "prevent the onset of internal heat in spring." The Chinese cut pears into small pieces, add rock sugar and boil water to drink. This bowl of pear water is not a "drink", but a "medicine" - to prevent dryness and internal heat in spring.
- Hitting villains: On the day of Jingzhe, there is a custom of "beating villains" in some places. Cut out paper into the shape of a "little man" and pat it with the sole of your shoe. The meaning of this custom is: drive away the villains (bad people) around you. Jingzhe "beats the villain" is "psychological detoxification" - venting a year's grievances.
- Sacrifice to the white tiger: In ancient times, "sacrifice to the white tiger" was performed on the day of Jingzhe. The white tiger is the "god of right and wrong" in folklore - specializing in sowing discord. Jingzhe sacrifices the white tiger in order to "resolve disputes". This custom is now rare, but the image of "white tiger" still remains in the Chinese language.
When
The best scene for The Waking of Insects: the night when spring thunder rings. The first spring thunder exploded in the night, and hibernating snakes, frogs, and insects crawled out of the soil. The next morning, you will find that there are some "uninvited guests" in the yard - these are "visitors" from Jingzhe.
Where
At Giaokz.com in Florence, we eat "stewed pears with rock sugar" on the day of Jingzhe. The Italian guest said: "Isn't this our composta di pere?" I said: "Yes, but our pear water is added with 'Jingzhe' - the name of a solar term. Eating pears is not just eating pears, it is taking the 'spring vaccination'."
One Word
surprise(jīng)
The "jing" in "Jingzhe" doesn't just mean "wake up". It also includes: surprise, awakening, and disturb. A sound of spring thunder startled hibernating animals and the sleeping earth. The Waking of Insects is the moment to "break the silence" - telling the world with thunder that winter is over and it's time for everything to wake up.
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> 💡 One sentence to remember Jingzhe: Jingzhe is the "alarm clock of spring" - with the sound of spring thunder, everything wakes up.