International Workers' Day is set aside for honoring and celebrating the contributions of workers across the globe, regardless of their race, age, gender, religion, skin color, or nationality. As a traditionally agricultural country, farming in China ranks as one of its oldest professions, with rich traditions and unique customs bred from the country's long farming history.

As an iconic symbol of agricultural society and a beast of burden depended on to pull plows and help plough fields since ancient times, the ox has long served as a close ally of Chinese farmers and peasants. It has thus been endowed with rich connotations and given rise to various rituals.

In China, a custom called "Whip the Spring Ox" is usually observed to celebrate "Lichun," or the Start of Spring, the first Chinese solar term that marks the beginning of the four seasons. In some regions, this tradition can also form part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Despite the regional differences, however, it always involves whipping a "spring ox" to signify the start of a new round of spring ploughing and pray for a bumper harvest.

Nowadays, despite modern agriculture seemingly being destined for a "smart" future, Chinese farmers still cling to their loyal old friends, with many folk events practiced to honor this hardworking animal.

In the coastal city of Quanzhou, Fujian, one festival with an oxen theme sees a red dot placed on the ox as a blessing for longevity, while cattle are also fed glutinous rice cakes and eggs, paraded in the fields, and organized in a plowing contest.