1 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms.     1     It lifts the curtain of spring. After that everything turns green and full of energy and people clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.

Spring is the best season for kite-flying. As a traditional folk activity, it has a history of more than 2, 000 years.     2     It also has the effect of promoting blood circulation and speeding up metabolism(新陈代谢).

Wearing fabric swallows is a custom in some regions in Shaanxi.     3     The custom originated during the Tang Dynasty (618—907). The swallow is a harbinger(预兆) of spring and a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

Skilled artists build the frame of an ox out of bamboo strips and the legs with wood. Then they paste(粘贴) some paper and paint onto it.    4     It is said that if more red and yellow paper is used, then there will be a good harvest that year.

People in China began holding a special ceremony on the first day of the Start of Spring about 3, 000 years ago. They made sacrifices to Gou Mang, the God of Spring, who is in charge of agriculture. By the Qing Dynasty (1644—1911), welcoming spring had become an important folk activity.