Longtaitou - Dragon Head Festival

The most famous custom is the haircut (‘tou fa）). Children, in particular, get their first spring haircut on Longtaitou — the dragon’s awakening is also a hair’s awakening. The cut is often a simple buzz; the symbolism is that the child grows in step with the dragon.

For adults, the haircut is optional — and indeed has its taboo. ‘Cutting hair in the first month means mourning your uncle’ — so many people wait until Longtaitou to get a fresh trim. The Longtaitou cut closes the winter fast and welcomes the year.

Long noodles are the festive dish. ‘Dragon’s whisker’ noodles (‘long xu mian’) are long, thin noodles that the diner does not cut; the longer the noodles, the longer the life. In northern China they are eaten with soy sauce and greens; in southern China, in clear broth.

Other foods are also named for dragons: dragon’s ears (a type of dumpling), dragon eyes (a kind of sweet bean bun), dragon pearls (small rice balls). On Longtaitou, almost any food is given a dragon-themed name; the day is a culinary celebration of the dragon’s renewed presence.

In the north, Longtaitou is called ‘Longtaitou er’ er’ (‘dragon head two-two’) and is primarily agricultural. In the south — especially Sichuan and Guangdong — it is more about the dragon dance and ritual rain-calling. Both have dragon boat races in some years.

In some places, women return to visit their natal families on Longtaitou. It is one of the few spring festivals with a distinct women’s character — the women’s dragon head. The custom varies by region but signals that the festival is large enough to absorb both agricultural and kinship meanings.