Dragon Head-Raising Festival

The second day of the second month

Longtaitou (龙抬头) means “the dragon raises its head.” Observed on the second day of the second lunar month, it is also called Eryueer, “second month, second day.” The dragon’s awakening gives the occasion its central image: renewed activity, hoped-for rain and a promising start to spring work.

Its date follows a lunar month and day rather than a solar term. The festival therefore moves in relation to the spring solar terms, even though its customs remain associated with the return of agricultural activity.

Dragons, water and the household

In the festival’s traditional imagery, the dragon controls rain. Its return to activity expresses the importance of water to the agricultural year. Older northern customs included tracing an ash “dragon” towards a well and a grain-chaff trail back towards the household water jar. The well, storage vessel and imagined dragon connected hopes for rainfall with the practical work of supplying a home.

Other protective practices included illuminating the house, using smoke and scattering ash around its boundaries. These customs were intended to keep insects and harmful influences away. They gave household spaces a place in the seasonal ritual, alongside fields and water sources.

Haircuts and dragon-named foods

Getting a haircut is a conspicuous contemporary practice. It expresses wishes for a vigorous, fortunate beginning and makes “raising the head” personal and visible. Families may attach particular importance to a child’s haircut on the day.

Food extends the dragon imagery to the table. Noodles can be called dragon whiskers, dumplings dragon ears and spring pancakes dragon scales. The pancakes are served with fillings to wrap inside, turning a stack of familiar food into a shared meal. The symbolic names vary with the dishes a community prepares.

Regional foods include fried beans in parts of Shandong, tofu balls in Fujian and rice cakes in Suzhou.