The banchun quannong ceremony for encouraging agrarian activities at the arrival of spring commences in Yuxi village, Suichang county, Lishui. [Photo/Tide News]

The banchun quannong ceremony for encouraging agrarian activities at the arrival of spring was held on Feb 12 in Yuxi village, Suichang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, and was visited by over 20 international visitors.

The ceremony is a traditional cultural element deeply rooted in Suichang agricultural civilization. Banchun means issuing the spring plowing decree in ancient time, while quannong refers to urging farmers to engage in agricultural activities.

Amid the resounding beat of drums and gongs, the ceremony began with rituals worshipping the god of agriculture of Chinese mythology, issuing the spring plowing decree, whipping the spring ox, and ceremonially plowing the fields.

An international visitor experiences whipping the ox in Yuxi village, Suichang county.  [Photo/Tide News]

This year marks the 13th time Suichang has held this traditional ceremony. Visitors from Nigeria plowed the fields alongside local villagers, while three Moroccans experienced the local intangible cultural heritage.

Banchun quannong dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when the renowned playwright and literary figure Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) served as the county magistrate of Suichang. Known for his diligent governance and promotion of education and agriculture, Tang's legacy of banchun quannong has been handed down to this day.

The traditional ceremony stands as a representative custom of the Start of Spring, the first solar term of China's 24 Solar Terms. In 2016, China's 24 Solar Terms were officially added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.