Image of Gou Mang, the god of Spring. [Photo/gmw.cn]

Welcoming spring
“拜春”

People in China began holding a special ceremony on the first day of 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), greeting spring had become an important folk activity. In Beijing, government officials welcomed spring in the wild field near Dongzhimen (the east gate of Beijing).
三千年前，中國人就開始舉行迎春儀式了。人們拜祭主宰農業(yè)的春神“句芒”。清朝時，“拜春”成為重要的民間活動。明清時京兆尹和各府衙官員，都必須去“東郊”的東直門外五里的“春場”去迎春。

（中國日報網英語點津 yaning）