3 Things To Do During The Longtaitou Festival For Good Luck

On the second day of the second lunar month, known as the Longtaitou Festival, people traditionally shave their heads and cut their hair. These actions are believed to symbolise a transition from the past to the future and are seen as an auspicious gesture that will bring good luck and good omens for the coming year.

Archaeologists and meteorologists believe the Longtaitou Festival to have originated from ancient astronomy. Research reports indicate that the second day of the second lunar month coincides with the rainy and hibernation seasons (also known as Jingzhe) in ancient times. During this period, global temperatures gradually increased, and the Earth experienced a recovery period. This observation aligns with the traditional saying: “On the second day of the second month, the dragon lifts his head and every household ploughs.”

Since time immemorial, people have observed this day as auspicious for praying for good weather conditions in the forthcoming year, getting rid of bad luck and enhancing good fortune. Hence, the popular adage "shaving the dragon's head" signifies the practice of shaving and trimming one's hair on this day. It is believed that shaving on this day brings good fortune and ensures the well-being of children, while adults engage in this practice to dispel negative influences and enhance the positive energy of the year.

In addition to haircuts, people eat a range of special dishes named after dragons in the hope of receiving blessings from the dragon and bringing good fortune and success in the forthcoming year.

The dishes are mainly named after dragons. For example, spring rolls are called dragon scales, spring onion cakes are called dragon skin, wontons are called dragon eyes, dumplings are called dragon ears, and noodles are called dragon beards. Noodles cooked with wontons together are called “dragons holding a pearl.”

The second day of the second lunar month is also the birthday of Tudigong, and believers go to the Temple to burn incense and offer sacrifices, beat gongs and drums, set off firecrackers, and offer sacrifices to the God of land to pray for a good fortune in the new year.

#万富 #继承传统