A ceremony marking the arrival of spring takes place in Yuxi village in Suichang county on April 19. [Photo/WeChat account: SC-News]

A grand ceremony called banchun quannong, marking the arrival of spring and spring ploughing in the country, took place on April 19 in Yuxi village in Suichang county – administered by Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province.

People in Suichang traditionally set off firecrackers, arrange plum blossoms in pots and hold sacrificial ceremonies to the gods of the land, among spring celebrations dating back 400 or so years.

By doing so, they notify each other of the need to prepare for plowing – the origin of banchun quannong.

The April 19 ceremony recreated a spring plowing scene in Suichang from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

More than 400 people take part in the event. [Photo/WeChat account: SC-News]

"More than 400 people were involved; mostly farmers from Yuxi village and surrounding areas," said Cheng Linfei, curator of the Suichang County Cultural Center and chief director of the ceremony.

Such folk activities faithfully reflect scenes from the work of farmers and their daily lives. The farmers who toil in the fields and mountains all year round are in a position to ensure the authenticity of the time-honored pageants, Cheng said.

Suichang has been moving with the times in recent years, upgrading its traditional farming culture with modern agricultural techniques. Grasping the opportunities brought by science and technology and digitalization, the county is promoting the construction of "future villages" to help promote farming efficiency and increase the incomes of its farmers.

Banchun quannong was placed on the list of China's intangible cultural heritage in 2011, to preserve it as an item of the country's renowned 24 Solar Terms.