Awakening of Insects

惊蛰 Awakening of Insects

Awakening of Insects is the third solar term in the 24 solar terms. It usually falls on March 5 to 6 in the Gregorian calendar, when the sun reaches 345° of the ecliptic longitude.

惊蛰，古称“启蛰”，西汉时为避汉景帝刘启的名讳而改称“惊蛰”。《月令七十二候集解》中说：“二月节……万物出乎震，震为雷，故曰惊蛰，是蛰虫惊而出走矣”，意思是春雷始鸣，惊醒了蛰伏在地下越冬的蛰虫。

Awakening of Insects was formerly known as "Qizhe". In the Western Han Dynasty, it was renamed "Jingzhe" to avoid the taboo of Liu Qi, Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. "Collection of Seventy-two Climatic Phenomena in the Monthly Orders" states that "In the second lunar month... all things come out of Zhen, and Zhen is thunder, so it is called Jingzhe, which means that the hibernating insects are startled and come out." That is to say, the spring thunder starts to roar, awakening the hibernating insects underground.

气候特征（Climate Characteristics）

惊蛰时节气温回升迅速，雨水逐渐增多。除东北、西北地区外，中国大部分地区平均气温达0℃以上，华南、东南部长江河谷地区，多数年份气温稳定在12℃以上。不过，此时昼夜温差较大。

During the period of Awakening of Insects, the temperature rises rapidly and the rainfall gradually increases. Except in Northeast and Northwest China, the average temperature in most parts of China reaches above 0°C. In South China and the Yangtze River Valley in the southeast, the temperature remains stable above 12°C in most years. However, the temperature difference between day and night is relatively large.

物候现象（Phenological Phenomena）

古人将惊蛰分为三候，一候桃始华，桃花开始绽放；二候仓庚鸣，黄鹂开始鸣叫；三候鹰化为鸠，古人以为鹰变成了鸠鸟。

The ancients divided Awakening of Insects into three pentads. In the first pentad, peach blossoms begin to bloom. In the second pentad, orioles begin to sing. In the third pentad, hawks are thought to have turned into doves by the ancients.

传统习俗（Traditional Customs）

惊蛰有吃梨的习俗，因天气干燥，吃梨可滋阴清肺，同时梨与“离”谐音，有远离害虫、灾病之意。在广东一带还有祭白虎的习俗，人们会拜祭用纸画的白老虎，用猪血喂之，希望它不再出口伤人、说人是非。

There is a custom of eating pears during Awakening of Insects. Because the weather is dry, eating pears can moisten the lungs and clear away heat. Meanwhile, the Chinese word for "pear" has the same pronunciation as "leaving", implying staying away from pests, disasters and diseases. In some areas of Guangdong, there is a custom of offering sacrifices to the white tiger. People will worship the paper-painted white tiger and feed it with pig blood, hoping that it will no longer bite people or spread rumors.

农事活动（Agricultural Activities）

惊蛰是春耕开始的信号，江淮地区小麦拔节抽穗，蔬菜长苗，果树萌芽开花，花卉播种育苗，各地都忙着春耕春播。

Awakening of Insects signals the start of spring ploughing. In the Jianghuai region, wheat starts to joint and head, vegetables grow seedlings, fruit trees sprout and blossom, and flowers are sown and nursed. Every household is busy with spring ploughing and sowing.