Local residents in Miaoyuan Village in Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, will greet the beginning of spring with a grand ritual in a time-honored and festive fashion on Feb. 4.

The highlight of the ceremony is the "Whip the Spring Ox." [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The ritual ceremony can be dated back to 1,000 years ago. It has been formally held each year since 2005 in the village at the start of spring, a specific day on the Chinese lunar calendar that signals the start of the farming season. On this day, farmers perform the ritual to wish for a rich harvest.

A villager plows the field with an ox-pulled plow in the traditional ritual. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

A highlight of the ceremony is the "Whip the Spring Ox," where a villager elder plows the field with an ox-pulled plow, while a child whips the ox, chanting folk songs. This symbolically announces the start of farming for the year and makes a wish for a big harvest.

Villagers give offerings to the God of Spring in the temple.  [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The Start of Spring is one of 24 Solar Terms on the Chinese lunar calendar, representing 24 periods and climate governing agricultural arrangements in ancient China. The Solar Terms were inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2016.

Children observe the ritual. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]