惊蛰，古称＂启蛰＂，是中国传统二十四节气（the24 traditional Chinese solar terms）中的第三个节气。蛰，是指动物入冬蛰伏土中的冬眠状态；惊蛰，即天上的雷声惊醒了沉睡的万物，所以惊蛰的英文表达为Awakening of Insects。
对农民来说，惊蛰是非常重要的一个节气，它被广泛视为一年农忙的开始。中国大部分地区气温在此期间上升最快，平均气温达到10摄氏度以上，并且光照明显增强，为春耕提供了良好的自然条件。
Old Chinese sayings, such as, “once the Awakening of Insects comes, spring
plowing never rests”, reveal the importance
of this term to farmers.
古语云：过了惊蛰节，春耕不能歇，讲的就是惊蛰对农民的重要性。
Offering sacrifices to the white tiger祭白虎
According to ancient Chinese folklore, a
white tiger is the creature that brings quarrels and disputes.
It always begins hunting during the Awakening of Insects, and sometimes bites
people. It is said that those bitten by a white tiger will encounter evil villains
in their life that bring obstructions and
bad luck. Therefore people offer sacrifices
to the white tiger during the Awakening of Insects to protect themselves.
根据中国古代民间传说，白虎是口舌、是非之神，每年都会在惊蛰时节出来觅食，有时会咬人。据说那些被白虎咬到的人，一生中会遇到邪恶，诸事不顺，运气不佳。因此，人们在惊蛰那天祭白虎，以保护自己。
When practicing this old custom, people draw the white tiger on paper, and then
smear pig's blood and pork on its mouth. This
means the tiger is fed so that it will not bite people, avoiding bad luck and conflict.
在践行这一古老习俗时，人们会在纸上画上白虎，然后将猪血和肉涂在白虎的嘴上。这意味着白虎已经被喂饱，所以它不会再咬人了，从而避开厄运和冲突。
Beating “villains”打小人
“Villain” hitting originated
in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and it's a folk ritual
popular in Guangdong and Hong Kong. The custom is practiced during the
Awakening of Insects to expel the “villain” and
to bring good luck. People often assign a
specific “witch” (usually an elderly woman) to “beat the villains”. They use
paper cut in the shape of humans to represent “villains” in their lives and the
“witch” uses shoes or other tools to hit the paper to expel bad luck.
打“小人”起源于唐代(618-907年)，它是起源于广东、香港民间的巫术仪祀仪式。惊蛰驱逐“小人”，会带来好运。人们经常指派特定的“女巫”（通常是一位老年妇女）去“打小人”。他们用前纸煎出人类的形状，代表生活中的“小人”，“女巫” 会用鞋子或其它工具去打“纸小人”，驱逐厄运。
In Hong Kong, the Swan Neck Bridge between Causeway Bay and Wan Chai has become a popular
place for people to beat villains.
在香港，铜锣湾及湾仔之间的鹅颈桥成为了打小人的热门圣地。
A good time for fishing钓鱼好时节
Around the Awakening of Insects, hibernating
animals wake up, and so do fish. They swim from deep water to shallow water in
search of food, mating and bearing young. It
is a good time for fishing.
惊蛰前后，动物从冬眠中醒来，鱼儿也不例外。他们从深水游到浅水中来觅食，交配和产卵，正是钓鱼的好时机。
Fishing can provide mental and physical relaxation, especially for people
living in the city. Driving to the suburbs, fishing in a lake, bathing in the
sunlight, enjoying the singing birds, fragrant
flowers and waving willows make for a perfect weekend in spring.
钓鱼可以带来身心的放松，尤其是对生活在城市里的人。开车来到郊外的湖边，沐浴在阳光下，聆听小鸟的歌唱，享受清新的花香，柳树随风飘扬，春天的周末如此完美。
Eating pears吃梨
Eating pears around the Awakening of Insects is a widely-practiced custom in
China. As the weather gets warmer and the air becomes dry, people tend to feel
their mouths are parched and tongues dry, which
can cause colds or coughs. A pear is sweet, juicy and cold, moistening the lungs to arrest
a cough. Therefore, pears are highly recommended
during the Awakening of Insects.
惊蛰吃梨是一项在中国广为流传的习俗。因为天气转暖，空气变得更加干了，人们感到口干舌燥，这会造成感冒或咳嗽。而梨子甘甜、多汁、清凉，能起到止咳润肺的效果。
