鞭打春牛，传统岁时风俗。立春节流行最广的是《鞭打春牛》，又可分为两个品类：一类是对此活动的写照；另一类则是对这一活动所含意义的概括与表述，也称“春牛图”活“春帖子”，具有浓厚的传统民俗风情和乡土气息。

《鞭春牛》

立春候，府县官吏具公服，礼勾芒，各以彩杖鞭牛者三，劝耕也。

（明）刘侗、于奕正《帝京景物略》

立春日，太守集府堂，鞭牛碎之，谓之打春。农民竟以麻麦米豆抛打春牛。……百姓买芒神、春牛亭子，置堂中，云宜田事。

（清）顾禄《清嘉录》

Whipping the Ox in Spring

On the first days of the beginning of Spring, officials at the prefecture and the county levels all dress up to worship the god of farming. Afterwards, they whip the ox with decorative rods and sticks, a symbolic gesture to urge tillage.

Liu Tong& Yu Yizheng (Ming Dynasty):

Scenery and Events in the Capital

On the day of the beginning of Spring, officials gather in town halls and shatter a clay ox by whipping it. This practice is called "beating the spring". Farmers vie in sprinkling clay oxen with sesame, barley, rice and bean. Common people buy portraits of the god of farming, and bring clay oxen usually intended for their courtyards into their living rooms because they believe that doing so will be beneficial to husbandry.

Gu Lu (Qing Dynasty):

Worthy Records of the Qing Dynasty

（姚红 译）

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