Lichun, or the Beginning of Spring, is the first of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar. It falls on February 4 this year. Its arrival marks the end of winter and the start of spring — a starting point for the revival of all living things, when the east wind ushers in warmth, the earth thaws, dormant insects gradually stir to life, and faint green hues emerge on the branches. It ends the harsh winter and begins a new cycle of farming and hope, embodying warm aspirations for endless vitality and renewal.
