3月20日是2026年农历二月初二，俗称“龙抬头”。这一天，中国人为什么要抬头看天？为什么和“龙”联系起来？让我们从天文、习俗和文化角度，聊聊这个传承千年的传统节日。
March 20, 2026, marks the second day of the second month in the lunar calendar, traditionally known in China as “Dragon Raising Its Head”. Why do Chinese people look up to the sky on this day? And why is it associated with dragons? Let’s explore this ancient festival through the lenses of astronomy, customs, and culture.
古人如何看见“龙抬头”？
How Did the Ancients See the“Dragon Raising Its Head”？
“二月二，龙抬头”源于古人对星空的观察。我国古代天文学家把黄道附近的星群划分为二十八宿，其中东方七宿(角、亢、氐、房、心、尾、箕)连起来形状像一条巨龙，称为“东方苍龙”。
The phrase “Dragon Raising Its Head on the Second Day of the Second Month” originates from ancient observations of the night sky. Chinese astronomers divided the stars along the ecliptic into 28 constellations. Among them, the seven constellations in the east—Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, and Ji—form a shape resembling a giant dragon, known as the “Azure Dragon of the East”.
农历二月初二前后，春天来临，黄昏时分，代表龙头的“角宿”从东方地平线缓缓升起，龙身还隐没在地平线下，看上去就像巨龙刚刚抬起头，所以叫“龙抬头”。这是古人对季节更替的精准把握，也是指导农时的重要标志。在上海天文馆，科普讲解员常在二月二向观众介绍这一古老天文知识，让大家了解星空与传统节日的关联。
Around the second day of the second lunar month, as spring arrives, the constellation representing the dragon’s head, Jiao, rises slowly above the eastern horizon at dusk, while the rest of the dragon’s body remains hidden below. It looks as if the dragon is just lifting its head, hence the festival’s name. This observation reflected the ancients’ precise understanding of seasonal change and served as an important guide for agricultural activities. At the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, science educators often use this day to introduce audiences to this ancient astronomical knowledge, highlighting the connection between the stars and traditional festivals.
为了好年景，古人有多忙？
How Did the Ancients See the “Dragon Raising Its Head”？
“龙抬头”意味着春耕开始，古人举行各种仪式祈求风调雨顺。
“Dragon Raising Its Head” signals the start of spring plowing, and ancient people held various rituals to pray for favorable weather.
首先是敬龙求雨。在上海金山的一些农村，至今保留着“引钱龙”的习俗：清晨从水井打水，往桶里扔几枚硬币，挑水一路洒回家，把余水和钱倒入水缸，寓意把“钱龙”引进门，祈求财源广进。
First, they honored the dragon to request rain. In rural areas of Shanghai’s Jinshan district, the “Attracting the Money Dragon” ritual is still practiced today. In the early morning, water is drawn from a well, a few coins are thrown into the bucket, and water is sprinkled along the way home. The remaining water and coins are poured into a household water container, symbolically inviting the “money dragon” indoors to pray for wealth and prosperity.
剃龙头
其次是为自己讨个好彩头。最广为人知的是“剃龙头”，人们认为二月二理发能让人一年都有好精神。在上海，这一习俗深入人心。南京路上的新新美容城、华安理发店等老字号，二月二这天往往还没开门就有人排队；社区便民理发店也格外忙碌，家长专门带孩子来理发，讨个“一年都有精神头”的好彩头。
Secondly, people sought good fortune for themselves. The most well-known custom is “shaving the dragon’s head”， where getting a haircut on this day is believed to bring vitality throughout the year. In Shanghai, this tradition is deeply rooted. On Nanjing Road, old salons such as Xinxin Beauty City and Hua’an Barber Shop often see lines forming before opening. Community hair salons are particularly busy, with parents bringing their children to get a haircut and “invite a year of energy”.
吃龙食
第三是“吃龙食”。上海及江南地区在二月二有个独特食俗——吃撑腰糕。在青浦、松江等地，人们用春节剩下的年糕切片油煎，加红糖水略煮后食用。民间认为吃了撑腰糕可以强健筋骨，干农活时不腰酸。老上海人常说：“二月二，吃撑腰，一年到头不弯腰。”乔家栅、沈大成等老字号这天会专门制作撑腰糕，市民特意去买，既回味童年，也延续传统。
Third, they “eat dragon food”. In Shanghai and the Jiangnan region, a unique culinary custom on this day is eating chengyao gao (waist-strengthening cake). In areas like Qingpu and Songjiang, leftover New Year rice cakes are sliced, fried, and lightly simmered in brown sugar syrup. Folk belief holds that eating this cake strengthens the back and muscles, helping prevent fatigue during farm work. Old Shanghainese often say, “On the second day of the second month, eat chengyao, and you won’t bend your back all year”. Historic pastry shops such as Qiaojiashan and Shen Dacheng make these cakes especially for the day, drawing crowds eager to relive childhood memories and continue traditions.
抬龙头
在浦东三林老街，每年二月二举行隆重的“抬龙头”仪式。三林舞龙队是国家级非遗项目，人们用十六抬大轿请出大龙头，在锣鼓喧天中穿街而过，市民游客上前摸龙头、扯龙须，祈求新年行好运。嘉定州桥老街、宝山罗店等地也会举办舞龙表演和民俗市集，让大家感受节日氛围。
In Pudong’s Sanlin Old Street, a grand “Dragon Raising Its Head” ceremony is held every year. The Sanlin Dragon Dance Team, a nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage, carries a massive dragon head in a sixteen-person sedan chair, parading through the streets to the sound of drums and gongs. Locals and visitors touch the dragon’s head and pull its whiskers, praying for good fortune in the new year. Other places, such as Jiading’s Zhouqiao Old Street and Baoshan’s Luodian, also host dragon dances and folk markets, creating a festive atmosphere.
为什么是龙？从神话到民族符号
Why the Dragon? From Myth to National Symbol？
中国先民把星象和“龙”绑定，源于农耕文明对自然的依赖与敬畏。在科学不发达的古代，人们认为风雨雷电由神龙掌控。春季播种需要雨水滋润，春耕时向龙祈求风调雨顺，就成了自然而然的事情。
Ancient Chinese linked celestial patterns with dragons out of both respect and dependence on nature. In a time when science was limited, people believed that dragons controlled wind, rain, and thunder. Since spring planting requires rainfall, praying to dragons for favorable weather was a natural practice.
龙也是中华民族崇拜的图腾，是祥瑞的化身。人们将威严的星象想象成巨龙，将对自然的敬畏、对丰收的渴望融入对龙的崇拜，衍生出一代代相传的习俗。
The dragon also became a revered national symbol, embodying prosperity and good fortune. People imagined majestic celestial patterns as dragons, expressing awe of nature and hope for bountiful harvests through dragon worship—giving rise to customs passed down through generations.
到了今天，龙抬头节已从求雨仪式演变成代表昂扬向上、开启新篇的文化符号。在上海这座现代化国际大都市，传统习俗以新的方式融入市民生活，大家都希望新的一年，能像这条从东方抬头的巨龙一样，生机勃勃，好运当头。
Today, the Dragon Raising Its Head Festival has evolved from a rain-praying ritual into a cultural symbol representing upward energy and the beginning of a new chapter. In a modern, international city like Shanghai, traditional customs continue to be celebrated in contemporary ways, with everyone wishing that the new year, like the dragon rising in the east, will be full of vitality and good fortune.
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编辑：谢梦圆
