February 4, is a great holiday throughout the empire. It is called
Yingchun, that is, meeting the spring, to-morrow, when the sun enters
the 15º of Aquarius, being considered the commencement of the spring
season. It is a sort of Lord Mayor's day. The chief magistrate of the
district goes forth in great pomp, carried on men's shoulders, in an
open chair, with gongs beating, music playing, and nymphs and satyrs
seated among artificial rocks and trees, carried in procession.
He goes to the general parade-ground, on the east side of Canton, on the
following day, being Lapchun, the first day of spring, in a similar
style. There a buffalo, with an agricultural god made of clay, having
been paraded through the streets, and pelted by the populace, to impel
its labours, is placed on the ground, in solemn state, when this
official priest of spring gives it a few strokes with a whip, and leaves
it to the populace, who pelt it with stones till it is broken to pieces;
and so the foolish ceremony terminates. The due observance of this
ancient usage is supposed to contribute greatly to an abundant year.