大白話帶你了解China

Let's get to know China in plain language.

“五一”國際勞動節是勞動者自己的節日。但是，你知道嗎？在中國古代，一年要過五個“勞動節”，就連皇帝，都得親自下地干活……

International Labor Day is a holiday for workers. But, do you know? In ancient China, there were five "Labor Day" festivals in a year. Even the emperor had to work in the fields himself...

時間軸：二月二

Timeline: The second day of the second lunar month

相傳，在上古時期，在每年的農歷二月二，“三皇”之一的伏羲會和各部落首領一起，下田耕種，以示對農耕和勞動的重視。

It is said that in ancient times, on the second day of the second lunar month every year, Fuxi, one of the "Three Sovereigns", would go to the fields with the leaders of various tribes to cultivate, showing his emphasis on farming and labor.

利簋·西周武王時期 中國國家博物館

《史記》也有記載，在這一天，周武王不但舉行隆重的開耕儀式，還親自率領文武百官“御駕親耕”，并將這一天定為“春龍節”。

"Records of the Grand Historian" also recorded that on this day, King Wu of Zhou not only held a grand ceremony to open the fields, but also personally led all civil and military officials to "plow the fields in person" and designated this day as the "Spring Dragon Festival."

春耕的大幕從此拉開。

Spring ploughing has been going on ever since.

到了唐代，二月二被官方正式確定為“耕事節”或“勞農節”，由此，成為我國最早的“勞動節”。

In the Tang Dynasty, the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar was officially recognized as the "Farming Festival" or Labor and Farmers' Festival”by the authorities, thus becoming the earliest "Labor Day" in China.

《雍正耕織圖》·清（局部）故宮博物院

在清朝，雍正皇帝在圓明園專門開辟了“一畝園”，每年二月二，都會帶人去扶犁耕種。

During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Yongzheng specially established a "One-mu Garden" in the Old Summer Palace. Every year on the second day of the second lunar month, he would take people there to plow and cultivate seeds.

時間軸：清明 谷雨

Timeline: Qingming   and Guyu 

作為上古農耕文明產物的“二十四節氣”，古人還把其中的“清明”、“谷雨”作為“勞動節”的象征。有句諺語叫“清明谷雨兩相連，浸種耕田莫遲延”，意思就是清明和谷雨之間，這時候的土地松軟程度和降雨的次數剛剛好，正是耕種的好時機。

Among the "24 Solar Terms", a product of ancient agricultural civilization, the ancients also regarded "Qingming" and "Guyu " as symbols of Labor Day. There is a saying that goes, "The Qingming Festival and the Guyu  Festival follow each other. Do not delay soaking seeds and ploughing fields", and it means that between the Qingming Festival and the Guyu  Festival, the softness of the soil and the frequency of rainfall are just right, making it an ideal time for farming.

谷雨節，百魚上岸。在膠東沿海地區自古就有谷雨祭海的習俗，也稱漁民節或開洋、謝洋節。可見不管是農民，還是漁民，只要是勞動人民，都非常重視“清明”和“谷雨”。

During the Guyu Festival, all kinds of fish come ashore. In the coastal areas of Jiaodong, there has been a custom of offering sacrifices to the sea during the Guyu  Festival since ancient times, also known as the Fishermen's Festival or the Opening and Closing of the Ocean Festival. It can be seen that whether they are farmers or fishermen, as long as they are working people, they all attach great importance to the Qingming Festival and the Guyu Festival.

時間軸：七月初七

Timeline: The seventh day of the seventh lunar month

《漢宮乞巧圖》·宋（局部）中國國家博物館

在男耕女織的古代家庭分工模式下，男人們有專屬的“耕事節”，女人們當然更不例外，也有自己的勞動節：“乞巧節”，又稱“七夕節”“女兒節”。這一天，女孩們會拿出特色的七孔針，并嘗試用絲線逐一穿過，以此來祈求自己能夠在接下來的一年中有更好的紡織手藝，歸根結底，還是那句話“我愛勞動”！

In the ancient family division of labor model where men plowed and women wowed, men had their own "Plowing Festival", and women were no exception. They also had their own Labor Day: "Qiqiao Festival", also known as "Qixi Festival" or "Daughters' Festival". On this day, girls will take out their distinctive seven-hole needles and try to thread them one by one with silk thread, hoping that they will have better textile skills in the coming year. Ultimately, it still comes down to that saying: "I love labor."

《豳風圖》·南宋（局部）故宮博物院

在一年中最熱的農歷七月，勞動人民雖然晚上過乞巧節，但白天仍然要下地勞作。“七月流火，九月授衣”，《詩經·豳風·七月》就描述了一幅古代農耕圖，反映了西周先民，一年四季以耕織為主線的勞動生活。

In the hottest month of the year, the seventh lunar month, although the working people celebrate the Qiqiao Festival at night, they still have to work in the fields during the day. 《The Book of Songs ·Binfeng· July》 depicts an ancient farming scene, reflecting the labor life of the Western Zhou people with plowing and weaving as the main lines throughout the four seasons.

時間軸：九月初九

Timeline: The ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar

《雍正帝祭先農壇圖卷》·清 （局部） 故宮博物院 

上面提到的“勞動節”，大多與春耕、夏耘有關，而到了收獲的秋季，古人仍有自己的“勞動節”——農歷九月初九，朝廷會在這天舉行盛大的豐收祭天儀式，民間則有曬秋、登高飲茶慶豐收等風俗。 

The above-mentioned “Labor Day” is related to spring plowing and summer cultivation. In the autumn harvest, the ancients still had their own"Labor Day" - the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. The imperial court would hold a grand harvest ceremony on this day to offer thanks to Heaven. And in folklore, they celebrated with customs like sun-drying autumn crops, climbing mountains, and drinking tea to mark the harvest.

千百年來，在燦爛農耕文明的滋養下，土地教會我們最樸素的道理：勞動才能創造幸福生活。不論是春種秋收的勞作，還是祈福豐收的儀式，皆可視為古人最盛大的“勞動節”。 

For thousands of years, nourished by the splendid agricultural civilization, the land has taught us the most simple truth: only through labor can a happy life be created. Whether it is the spring sowing and autumn harvest work or the ceremony to pray for a bumper harvest, all can be regarded as the grandest "Labor Day" of the ancients.

勞動最光榮 

勞動者最美 

Labor is the most glorious and the laborer is the most beautiful.