The Double-Second Festival (or the Spring Dragon Festival) is traditionally named the Dragon Head Festival, which is also called “ the Day of Legendary Birth of Flowers” , “ the Spring Outing Day” , or “ the Vegetables-Picking Day” . It came into existence in the Tang Dynasty (618AD --- 907 AD).
The poet, Bai Juyi wrote a poem entitled The Second Day of the Second Lunar Month:” The first rain stops, sprout grass and vegetables. In light clothes are young lads, and in lines as they cross the streets.”
On this special day, people send gifts to each other, pick vegetable, welcome wealth and go on a spring outing, etc. After the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD --- 1644 AD), the custom of spreading ashes to attract a dragon was called “ dragon lifting its head” .
二月二,又称“花朝节” 、 “踏青节” 、 “挑菜节” ,俗称“龙抬头日” 。大约在唐代就已 形成。白居易有《二月二日》诗:“二月二日新雨晴,草芽菜甲一时生。轻衫细马春年少, 十字津头一字行。 ”在这一天,民间相互送礼,还有挑菜、迎富、踏青等活动。明代以后, 又有撒灰引龙的习俗,称为“龙抬头” 。
二月二龙抬头风俗:
祭龙
在过去,龙抬头节是祭祀龙神的日子,每年的这一天,人们都要到龙神庙或水畔焚香上供祭祀龙神,祈求龙神兴云化雨,保佑一年五谷丰登。不过,在很多地区,特别是南方,人们也把二月初二作为“土地公生日”,举行社祭,祭祀土地神。
撒灰
将灰撒在门前,谓之“拦门辟灾”;将灰撒在墙角,意在“辟除百虫”;将灰撒在院中,作大小不等的圆圈,并象征性地放置一些五谷杂粮,称做“围仓”或“打灰囤”,以祝丰年;将灰撒在井边,呼曰“引龙回”,以求风调雨顺。