Beijing (China Daily/ANN) - Close shaves were the order of the day as people cut it fine and thousands of barbers across the country gave their customers hairy moments to remember. Thursday was longtaitou, the day "the dragon raises its head" and spring, the season of growth, is ushered in.
Chinese people, by tradition, will rush to have their hair cut on the second day of the second lunar month, hoping that it will bring good fortune for the year.
"I feel much more comfortable now," a newly shorn Zhao Yunfei sighed contentedly as he left Jinbancun, a famous barbers in Beijing.
Zhao had been waiting expectantly for this day.
"I endured some discomfort over the past few days," Zhao said. "Finally the day came. I got up early and rushed to this barbers."
Zhao said he arrived at 9:30 am, and waited until 11 am before it was his turn. But it was worthwhile.
"Now I have my hair cut and I feel better," he said.
Customers like Zhao keep barbers busy every year on the special day.
"We had more than 400 customers since the shop opened at 6:20 am," said Liu Qingchi, the manager of Jinbancun.
Liu said that he normally opens the shop at 9:30 am, and receives about 100 customers. "But today we might stay open until midnight."
Luo Qing, one of the eight barbers in the shop, said he had looked after 10 customers by the time he should have had breakfast.
In a barbershop in Huixindongjie Street, Chaoyang district, Beijing, all 14 barbers worked flat out for the entire day.
"Normally customers start to pour in during the afternoon," Zhang Ling, manager of the shop, said. "But today people were lining up outside the door in the early morning, long before the shop was due to open," she said.
Different legends surround longtaitou.
One says a merciful dragon summoned rain to help farmers without divine permission. The dragon was then held captive as punishment under a mountain but once a year the dragon raises its head to view the world.
Another legend says that anyone getting their hair cut before longtaitou will bring death to their uncles.
"According to tradition, Chinese people used to clean themselves and have their hair cut at the end of the year, to get rid of bad luck from the old year," said Xiao Fang, a professor of folklore at Beijing Normal University.
The second day of the second lunar month traditionally marked the end of the Chinese New Year in most parts of North China, said Xiao.
"As the days became warmer, farmers worked the fields more and they wanted more rain, a scarce commodity during spring in North China."
Other customs are also associated with the day.
Some people eat noodles as they believe it signifies a dragon's beard.
But, as with most customs, the old ways are dying out and many people, especially the young, have abandoned traditional beliefs.
"I went to the barbers today because my mother asked me to," a high school student said.
"I don't mind getting a haircut in the first lunar month," she said.
Even Xiao was less than fervent in honoring the tradition. "Several days ago I had my hair cut," he said.
"But I think it is fun that we have this tradition."
As most families have only one child, fewer people will honor the tradition in the future as uncles are in short supply to harm, Xiao said smiling.
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