Lichun, or the Start of Spring, is the first of the traditional Chinese 24 solar terms and falls on February 3 this year, marking the beginning of the spring season. On this day, temperatures begin to rise, the earth reawakens, and all living things begin to revive.
In southern Shandong, central Hebei and northern Anhui, people in rural areas often make rooster decorations from colorful yarn and rags, and fill the rooster's belly with beans or cotton.
Because the Chinese word for rooster, "ji," is a homophone of the word for "fortune," colorful handmade roosters are usually sewn onto children's sleeves or hats, bearing their parents' heartfelt wishes for good luck and happiness for their children.