俗话说，一年之计在于春。立春节在传统文化和农业生产中承担着团聚、祈求丰收的美好寓意。
作为二十四节气之首，立春节的到来意味着严冬的结束。此时柳萌黄枝，水泛新绿，万物生长的春季已经到来。因“立”有“开始”之意，所以“立春”的英文表达为Start of Spring，是不是很贴切？
The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Start of Spring is the first solar term of the year.
立春节后，植物转绿，焕发勃勃生机。人们可以清楚地注意到白天的时间变得更长，天气也愈发温暖了。
Start of Spring lifts the curtain of spring. After that everything turns green and full of vigor; people clearly see that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.
以下是关于立春你应该知道的五件事。
Here are five things you should know about Start of Spring.
立春和春节
Start of Spring and Spring Festival
立春在春秋时期（公元前770-476年）就已经是一个节气了，当时有八个节气。24个节气术语在西汉时期（公元前206年-公元24年）首次在书籍中使用，当时立春被定为春节。1913年，农历正月初一被定为春节。
As a solar term, Start of Spring had already entered people's lives in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). At that time, there were eight solar terms. According to some experts, the 24 solar terms were used for the first time in books during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), when the Start of Spring was set as the Spring Festival. In 1913, the first day of the first month of the lunar year was mandated as the Spring Festival.
放风筝
Flying a kite
春天是放风筝的最佳时节。放风筝这项传统民俗活动在中国已有超两千年的历史。它可以帮助人们强身健体，预防疾病，有助于促进血液循环，加速新陈代谢。
Spring is the best season for kite-flying. A traditional folk activity, it has a history of more than 2,000 years. It can help build one's health and prevent diseases. It also has the effect of promoting blood circulation and speeding up metabolism.
立鸡蛋
Erecting the egg
在中国，传说在立春、春分和秋分的时候，鸡蛋可以被立起。人们认为，如果有人能在立春的时候把鸡蛋立起来，他在未来就会交到好运。
In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the first day of the Start of Spring, Spring Equinox day and Autumn Equinox day. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand on the first day of Start of Spring, he will have good luck in the future.
咬春
Biting the spring
“生菜乍挑宜卷饼”，和冬至吃的饺子一样，立春也有专属节日食品——春饼、咬春萝卜、春卷和一些时令野菜，这种尝鲜活动被称为“咬春”。
在中国许多地区，人们在立春的时候遵循“咬春”的习俗，会吃春饼，春卷，或是几口胡萝卜。
In many parts of China, people observe the custom of "biting the spring" on the first day of Start of Spring. They eat spring pancakes, spring rolls, or a few mouthfuls of carrots.
赏梅
Appreciating plum blossoms
绽放在冬末的梅，是春天的信号。立春观梅，更感几分春意之近。
梅花在梅花因其不畏严寒的特性而备受推崇。在中国，梅、兰、竹、菊被誉为“花中四君子”。
The plum blossom, as it fights against the cold, is the most highly regarded. In China, the plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum are praised as the four gentlemen of Chinese flowers.
