Awakening of Insects Farming

During Awakening of Insects, Northeast China remains frozen, with the frozen-soil layer still around 50–100 centimeters thick. Yet warming now accelerates noticeably. Daytime highs can rise above 0°C, snow begins melting across broad areas, and cracks appear in river ice. Agricultural work remains centered on preparation, but the pace becomes markedly faster.
The region enters the final sprint of 备耕 (*spring-farming preparation*). Purchases of seed, fertilizer, pesticides, agricultural film, and other inputs approach completion. The standards of Heilongjiang’s state-farm system are particularly rigorous: seed germination is retested, fertilizer nutrient content inspected, and pesticide expiration dates checked under strict procedures. Large tractors, seeders, sprayers, and other core machinery complete all servicing and calibration so they can enter the fields immediately once the ground thaws.
Large-scale 种子包衣 (*seed coating*) also begins during Jīngzhé. Seeds are coated with insecticides, fungicides, micronutrients, and other materials in order to control seedling-stage pests and diseases and support early growth.
Pastoral areas enter the busiest lambing season of the year. Around Awakening of Insects, sheep in eastern Inner Mongolia give birth in concentrated numbers. Herders remain near the pens almost around the clock, ready to receive newborn lambs and assist difficult births. Newborns are physically weak and require special warmth and care. Supplemental feeding after lambing is equally important: protein and mineral content in the ewe’s ration must be increased to ensure sufficient milk production.
In protected agriculture, peak production continues in southern Liaoning. Cucumbers and tomatoes remain in active harvest, while strawberries enter the peak of their second fruiting cycle. Longer daylight causes greenhouse temperatures to rise faster, so daytime ventilation and cooling become essential to prevent heat injury to leaves and fruit.

At Awakening of Insects, Northwest China enters the critical period for spring sowing. Gansu and Ningxia begin spring-wheat planting on a broad scale, winter wheat in southern Xinjiang reaches jointing, and pastoral areas enter lambing season.
顶凌播种 (*sowing while deeper soil remains frozen*) of spring wheat expands fully. The Hexi Corridor in Gansu and the Yellow River irrigation districts of Ningxia are among China’s main spring-wheat regions, and the period around Jīngzhé—from early to mid-March—is regarded as the golden sowing window.
Farmers sow when only the top 2–4 centimeters of soil have thawed while deeper layers remain frozen. This timing allows seed to draw on moisture stored in the frozen subsoil and supports reliable emergence. If farmers wait until the ground has completely thawed, much of the moisture may already have evaporated and emergence can decline sharply.
The saying captures this timing precisely:
“麦种在冰上，收在火上。”
*Wheat is sown on ice and harvested in fire.*
Seed is placed 3–5 centimeters deep and the field is immediately 镇压 (*rolled or pressed*) so the seed makes close contact with moist soil. Seeding rate varies with variety and soil fertility, but is generally 15–20 kilograms per *mu*.
Winter wheat in the southern Tarim Basin enters jointing. Stem internodes lengthen while young ears differentiate and develop inside the stems. This is a peak period of both water and nutrient demand and a decisive stage for final ear size. Farmers irrigate promptly at around 40–60 cubic meters per *mu* and apply 拔节肥 (*jointing fertilizer*) at 8–10 kilograms of urea per *mu*. Cold tolerance drops sharply once jointing begins, making weather forecasts essential for guarding against 倒春寒 (*late spring cold spells*).
The lambing season also reaches full scale across the northern Tianshan, the Ili Valley, and pastoral districts of Qinghai. Herders reinforce lambing sheds, prepare birthing equipment, and stock supplemental forage. The survival rate of newborn lambs directly affects pastoral income for the entire year. This is also the closing period of 白灾 (*“white disaster”*), and sudden blizzards still require vigilance.
In orchards and specialty-crop areas, winter pruning of apples, fragrant pears, grapes, and other fruit crops in southern Xinjiang must be fully completed during Jīngzhé. Once sap begins to flow, pruning can cause 伤流 (*sap bleeding from fresh cuts*) and weaken the tree. Seed-potato cutting and sprouting continue in Dingxi, Gansu, in preparation for planting from late March into early April.

During Awakening of Insects, North China enters the most critical period of winter-wheat management. Jointing arrives on a broad scale, and water and nutrient management directly shape yield.
The 拔节期 (*jointing stage*) becomes the central task. Winter wheat across the North China Plain begins elongating its stem internodes while young ears differentiate rapidly inside. This is the critical period determining the number of kernels per ear and one of the moments when the crop’s demand for water and nutrients is most urgent.
Farmers make precise decisions according to crop vigor and soil moisture. Weak stands—yellow leaves and few tillers—require prompt 拔节肥, generally 8–10 kilograms of urea per *mu*, together with irrigation. Strong stands with dark-green leaves and sufficient tillering may delay irrigation slightly to encourage deeper rooting and avoid excessive vegetative growth. Overly vigorous fields with dense populations and slender stems require strict control of both water and fertilizer. If necessary, growth regulators such as paclobutrazol or chlormequat chloride are applied to shorten the lower internodes and prevent lodging.
Farmers describe the importance of this stage with the expression:
“一水一肥定乾坤。”
*One irrigation and one application of fertilizer can decide the outcome.*
The phrase emphasizes how precisely water and fertilizer management at jointing can influence the final harvest.
Spring irrigation reaches its annual peak. North China is dry and short of rainfall in spring, so millions of *mu* of wheat fields across Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and neighboring areas enter concentrated irrigation. Farmers coordinate the irrigation sequence according to field condition: weak crops before strong crops, sandy soils before clay soils, ensuring that each field receives its 返青拔节水 (*irrigation supporting spring regrowth and jointing*) at the proper time.
In recent years, North China has expanded water-saving irrigation systems such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and small-border irrigation, greatly improving water-use efficiency.
Pest and disease surveillance also begins in earnest. Rising temperatures activate wheat diseases and insects. Key targets include sharp eyespot, visible as brown lesions at the stem base; wheat mites, which leave white spotting on leaves; and aphids, which can cause curling and yellowing. Farmers should inspect fields at least once each week and respond promptly when problems appear.
Orchards enter critical flowering management. In the apple, pear, and peach regions of North China, flower buds swell visibly and some early cultivars begin flowering. Growers watch forecasts closely. If 倒春寒 brings nighttime temperatures below -2°C, protective measures may include orchard irrigation, which uses water’s high heat capacity to slow cooling, or 熏烟 (*smoke protection*) using crop residues or specialized smoke materials to raise near-ground temperatures by 2–3°C.
At the same time, lime-sulfur mixture is applied before bud break, followed by insecticides and fungicides to reduce overwintering pests and pathogens.
After Awakening of Insects, open-field vegetable sowing begins on a broad scale. Cold-tolerant crops such as spinach, lettuce, radish, and peas can now be planted. Greenhouse tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers enter peak flowering and fruiting and require stronger water, nutrient, and pest-management programs.

At Awakening of Insects, the middle and lower Yangtze enters one of the busiest agricultural periods of the entire spring. Rapeseed is in full flower, early-rice seedling raising reaches its peak, and winter wheat enters jointing. Three major farming tasks overlap, filling the countryside with activity.
Rapeseed reaches the peak of full flowering, turning the fields golden. This is the single most critical stage of the crop’s annual cycle. Full bloom generally lasts 10–15 days and determines pollination and pod set. The ideal weather is mild, sunny, and lightly breezy, with temperatures around 10–18°C and relative humidity of 60%–70%, encouraging bees and other pollinating insects.
Persistent rain can wash away pollen and lead to “花而不实”—*“flowers without fruit,”* where flowering is abundant but pod set is poor. A 倒春寒 can freeze flower buds and cause them to fall, bringing serious yield losses. Farmers therefore monitor forecasts closely and may apply foliar fertilizer—boron together with monopotassium phosphate—before a cold wave to strengthen stress resistance.
Early-rice seedling raising reaches its height in the southern Jiangnan region, including Jiangxi, southern Hunan, and southern Zhejiang. Germinated rice seed is sown into seedbeds and covered with film to retain warmth and moisture. Management is highly precise: temperatures beneath the film are checked daily and ventilation is required if they exceed 35°C. Seedbeds must remain moist but free of standing water, while 绵腐病 and 立枯病 are carefully prevented.
The agricultural saying goes:
“秧好半年稻。”
*Good seedlings are half the rice harvest.*
Strong seedlings form the foundation of high early-rice yield. Seedling age is generally kept to 25–30 days, with transplantation at the “三叶一心” stage.
Winter wheat in the middle and lower Yangtze also enters 拔节期. Stem internodes elongate while young ears develop. Farmers apply 5–8 kilograms of urea per *mu* as jointing fertilizer according to crop condition, encouraging thicker stems and stronger young-ear development. Cold tolerance falls sharply at this stage, so 倒春寒 requires special vigilance. If nighttime temperatures are forecast below 0°C, fields may be irrigated in advance to retain heat—thoroughly wetted, but without allowing standing water.
清沟防渍 (*keeping drainage ditches open to prevent waterlogging*) remains essential. Spring rain increases during Jīngzhé and field humidity stays high. Farmers repeatedly inspect drainage networks and make sure the “三沟”—main, central, and perimeter ditches—remain unobstructed. Rice-stubble fields planted to wheat or rapeseed have particularly high groundwater and require the closest attention.
Greenhouse solanaceous crops across the Yangtze basin enter flowering and fruit set, requiring stronger temperature, humidity, and light management. In the tea regions of Jiangnan—Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangxi—spring buds accelerate their emergence. Only around 20–30 days remain before the harvest of 明前茶 (*tea picked before Qingming*). Tea growers intensify garden clearing, apply 催芽肥 (*bud-promoting fertilizer*), mainly quick-acting nitrogen, and inspect tea-processing equipment.

Agriculture across Southwest China retains a clear “海拔梯度” (*altitudinal gradient*) at Awakening of Insects. Warm lowland valleys enter early-rice transplantation, winter wheat in the Sichuan Basin reaches jointing, while high-altitude areas remain in the spring-preparation stage.
Early-rice transplantation begins in southern Yunnan—Xishuangbanna and Honghe—and in the Panxi region of Sichuan. Seedlings reach the “三叶一心” standard and begin moving into the main fields.
Before transplantation, paddies are prepared carefully: fields are flooded and soaked, leveled, and supplied with sufficient basal fertilizer, generally 20–25 kilograms of compound fertilizer per *mu*. Planting density varies by variety but is typically 12,000–15,000 hills per *mu*. After transplantation, fields are maintained under a shallow water layer of 3–5 centimeters to encourage 返青 and tillering.
Pressure to control wheat stripe rust remains intense. Winter wheat in the Sichuan Basin enters jointing, while stripe-rust management reaches its most decisive stage. Spores move with the air, and the Sichuan Basin is regarded as a national “锈病源头” (*source region for rust disease*). Failure to control the disease here can directly threaten northern wheat regions.
Sichuan’s agricultural authorities fully activate “带药侦查” (*field scouting with treatment products already in hand*) during Jīngzhé. Plant-protection personnel inspect fields and, upon finding even a single infected leaf, immediately spray the infection center and the surrounding 50-meter area. Farmers should enter their fields at least twice each week and look closely for yellow stripe-like spore pustules on the undersides of leaves.
Spring-potato planting approaches completion in major production regions such as Zhaotong in Yunnan, Weining in Guizhou, and Liangshan in Sichuan. Seed-potato cutting and sprouting are largely finished, and fields are covered with plastic film after sowing to retain warmth and soil moisture. Planting acreage reaches its annual peak around Awakening of Insects.
Rapeseed in Sichuan and Guizhou enters full bloom and requires attention to pollination conditions, while broad beans enter pod formation and require adequate water.
Tea gardens in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan begin producing spring buds, and growers apply 催芽肥. In higher-elevation tea regions such as Pu’er and Lincang in Yunnan, spring budding comes later, generally in mid- to late March, making Awakening of Insects the key period for preparing fertilizer, labor, and materials.

#### (1) Mainland South China
Early-rice transplantation enters its peak. Across South China, seedlings generally reach the “三叶一心” to “四叶一心” stages—*three or four developed leaves with one central emerging leaf*—and large-scale transplantation begins.
Before transplantation, fields are prepared carefully. Paddies are flooded to a depth of 5–8 centimeters, leveled so that differences across the field surface remain under 3 centimeters, and supplied with sufficient basal fertilizer combining well-decomposed farm manure and compound fertilizer. Planting density depends on variety and soil fertility. Conventional varieties are generally transplanted at 15,000–18,000 hills per *mu*, while hybrid rice may be planted somewhat more sparsely.
After transplanting, fields remain under 3–5 centimeters of shallow water to encourage seedlings to 返青 and develop low-position tillers. In southern Hainan, where heat resources are abundant, some early rice has already entered peak tillering.
Seedling management enters its final push in beds not yet transplanted. Temperatures beneath the film are controlled at 30–35°C and the bed surface remains moist without standing water. Three to five days before transplantation, growers begin “炼苗” (*hardening the seedlings*) by gradually uncovering the film, increasing ventilation, and reducing watering so the plants adapt to open-field conditions.
Spring peanuts and maize begin emerging. Farmers promptly 查苗补缺 (*inspect emergence and fill missing stands*), reseeding or transplanting wherever gaps appear. Spring peanuts receive their first intertillage and soil loosening to encourage root growth. Spring maize enters seedling management: plants are thinned to leave one or two strong seedlings per hill, 苗肥 (*seedling fertilizer*) is applied at 3–5 kilograms of urea per *mu*, and seedling pests such as cutworms are controlled.
Tropical fruit trees enter a period of fruit retention and floral management. Mangoes in Hainan and Guangxi reach the young-fruit stage and require 保果 (*fruit-retention management*), including retention sprays and control of mango gall midges and thrips. Early lychee varieties such as “三月红” and “白糖罂” enter fruit development and need stronger water and nutrient supply. Banana flower-bud differentiation accelerates and high-potassium compound fertilizer is applied to support bunch development.
Open-field vegetables in South China enter vigorous growth. Choy sum, Chinese kale, lettuce, spinach, and other leafy vegetables grow rapidly and require timely quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer. At the same time, rising temperatures activate pests and diseases: diamondback moth, aphids, downy mildew, and powdery mildew all require stronger control.
In aquaculture, fish enter a more active feeding period. Feed amounts are increased gradually, while farmers strengthen pond patrols and monitor water temperature and dissolved oxygen.
#### (2) Taiwan
For rice, the first crop in central Taiwan—including Changhua, Yunlin, and the Chianan Plain—enters peak tillering. Fields maintain a shallow water layer of 3–5 centimeters to encourage low-position tillers. Tillering is the decisive stage determining the number of effective panicles, so 分蘖肥 (*tillering fertilizer*) is applied according to crop condition, usually 5–8 kilograms of urea per *mu*.
In the south, particularly the Kaohsiung–Pingtung region, seedlings develop more quickly; some fields have already entered the later tillering stage and are approaching young-panicle differentiation. In northern Taiwan, including Taoyuan and Hsinchu, seedlings remain in nurseries, with transplantation expected from late March to early April.
Vegetable acreage continues to expand across Taiwan. Watermelon, cucumber, muskmelon, and other cucurbits enter full-scale sowing and seedling raising in central Taiwan, while ginger and 越瓜 reach peak transplantation in the south. Tomatoes remain in peak fruiting and require close water, fertilizer, and pest management, particularly against late blight and whiteflies.
The peak season for citrus moves toward its end, while kumquat harvest is essentially complete. Spring pruning also reaches completion during Jīngzhé: mature trees are finished and young-tree pruning enters its final stage. Application of 春肥 / 催芽肥 (*spring or bud-promoting fertilizer*), mainly nitrogen, expands fully to encourage spring shoots and flower-bud differentiation.
In the tea regions of central and southern Taiwan, including Nantou and Chiayi, spring budding accelerates as temperatures rise. Growers hurry to apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer so buds emerge evenly. Irrigation demand also rises, because the dry season has not yet ended and water supply directly affects both spring-tea yield and quality. Northern tea districts such as Wenshan and Sanxia bud somewhat later, generally in late March, making Awakening of Insects an important period for garden management and preparation of labor and materials.
In fisheries, seasonal catch patterns around Taiwan continue. Mackerel, Spanish mackerel, black pomfret, and other species remain available. The spring fishing season begins in earnest, fishing-vessel departures become more frequent, and both the variety and quantity of catches gradually increase.
Taiwanese tradition preserves the saying:
“驚蟄聞雷米如泥。”
*If thunder is heard at Awakening of Insects, rice will be as plentiful as earth.*
The expression predicts favorable winds and rains and abundant grain—so much rice, in the proverb’s imagery, that it becomes as common and inexpensive as soil.
Conversely:
“未到驚蟄先打雷，四十二日天烏烏。”
*If thunder comes before Awakening of Insects, the sky may remain dark for forty-two days.*
The saying associates unusually early thunder with an early northward advance of warm, moist air and the possibility of prolonged cloudy and rainy weather unfavorable to spring cultivation.
Awakening of Insects is also traditionally associated in Taiwan with 驱虫避害 (*driving away insects and warding off harm*). One folk custom is “炒虫”—literally *“frying insects”*—in which maize or soybeans are roasted on the day of Jīngzhé. The symbolic act represents driving pests from the fields and praying for an abundant harvest.