Whipping the ox is an important part of the sacrificial activities to welcome the Start of Spring in Quzhou, Zhejiang province. [Tide News]

Quzhou in Zhejing province hosted traditional sacrificial activities to welcome the Start of Spring on Feb 4. The event featured vibrant seasonal drumming and captivating dragon dance performances.

According to the traditional Chinese solar calendar, the Start of Spring (立春) marks the beginning of the year, starting on Feb 4 and concluding on Feb 18. The district's millennium-old sacrificial ceremony is a deeply revered event, where individuals offer floral tributes and sacrificial offerings to the god of Spring, seeking favorable weather and bountiful harvests.

A pivotal moment in the ceremony is the "whipping of the ox," symbolizing the commencement of spring plowing. During this climax, a child, dressed as a young herdsman and holding bamboo branches, ceremonially whips the ox while singing cheers.

Meanwhile, an elderly farmer leads a plow ox adorned in red silk, signifying the start of the agricultural season.

Coinciding with this cultural celebration, the inauguration of the 24 Solar Terms Research Institute took place. The institute aims to delve deeper into the humanistic spirit and contemporary significance of the solar terms culture, leveraging its cultural and industrial development to promote rural revitalization through the integration of culture and tourism.

It is worth noting that on Nov 30, 2016, China's 24 Solar Terms were officially added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.