The culture and traditions of China's Longtaitou Festival

The traditional Chinese Longtaitou Festival, or Dragon-Head-Raising Festival, falls on the second day of the second month on the traditional Chinese calendar every year, and recognizes the start of spring and farming. This year it falls on March 1.

Ancient people believed that after this day, rainfall increases because the rain-bringing Dragon King has awakened from his winter sleep.

A well-known phrase goes, "Er yue er, long tai tou," meaning, "On the second day of the second month, the dragon lifts his head."

The festival celebrates ancient agrarian Chinese culture, and while some of traditional ways to celebrate it are no longer practiced, others persist.

The most famous tradition is getting a haircut. Some believe that going to the barber on this day gets rid of bad luck, while others believe getting a haircut during the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar brings bad luck.

Another saying warns that cutting your hair in the first month will cause your uncle to die. Although today few pay attentions to it, it was once tradition to line up outside barber shops on the day of Longtaitou, having avoided haircuts for the preceding month.