Farmers plow a field with an ox during the Banchun Quannong ceremony. [Photo/Suichang county publicity department]

The Banchun Quannong ceremony, a traditional spring festival to raise spirits for farming and the spring plowing, was held on April 14 in Suichang county in Lishui city, in East China's Zhejiang province.

The ceremony recreated the scene of Banchun Quannong in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when Tang Xianzu, a famous literary and drama writer, served as the county magistrate of Suichang. He became known for his diligent administration, his love of the people, promoting education and encouraging agriculture and sericulture.

In 2016, the Banchun Quannong ceremony was listed as part of the UNESCO's world intangible cultural heritage, as a representative example of China's 24 solar terms cultural heritage.

The ceremony consisted of various rituals such as worshiping the Red Emperor or Shennong, the legendary ancestor of Chinese agriculture, issuing spring orders and plowing the fields with oxen.

In recent years, Suichang has built a brand – based on its integrated development of agriculture, culture and tourism – by presenting a modern version of the traditional Banchun Quannong.

Through the continuous and deep promotion of its rural revitalization, Suichang is showing new vitality. In 2022, the per capita income of low-income farmers in Suichang increased by 17.5 percent compared with 2021, ranking it third among 26 mountainous counties in Zhejiang.