節錄2026年4月29日澳門論壇日報
Traditional Interpretation of the "Spring Ploughing Diagram" 《春牛圖》for the Bingwu Year (2026)
The Rule States:
If Li Chun立春 falls more than five days before the first day of the first lunar month (i.e., Li Chun occurs in the preceding lunar year), Mangshen 芒神stands in front of the ox, indicating an early start to the agricultural season.
If Li Chun 立春falls more than five days after the first day of the first lunar month (i.e., Li Chun 立春occurs after the New Year), Mangshen 芒神stands behind the ox, indicating a later start.
If Li Chun 立春falls within five days before or after the first day of the first lunar month, Mangshen 芒神stands beside the ox, signifying a moderate and timely season.
Situation for Bingwu Year丙午年: Li Chun立春 for 2026 falls on February 4th in the Gregorian calendar, which corresponds to the 17th day of the 12th lunar month in the Yisi Year乙巳年 (still before entering the first month of the Bingwu Year). This is a classic case of "Li Chun立春 falling before the New Year." According to the rule above, Mangshen 芒神should be positioned in front of the ox.
Interpretation: Mangshen芒神 leading from the front signifies that the breath of spring arrives relatively early, and the earth's energy stirs quickly. This reminds us that although the Spring Festival of the Bingwu Year is later, the pace of the farming season has not slowed down. We need to plan ahead and prepare for sowing early by following nature's timing, so as not to miss the opportunity simply because the New Year hasn't arrived yet.
3. Mangshen's 芒神Footwear: Barefoot with Trousers Rolled Up
This is often the most discussed detail among folks observing the "Spring Ploughing Diagram春牛圖," as it directly pertains to the amount of rainfall in the coming year.
The Rule States:
Mangshen芒神 wearing straw sandals on both feet: Predicts a drought for the year, requiring preparations for drought resistance.
Mangshen芒神 barefoot with trousers rolled high up: Predicts abundant rainfall for the year, possibly even leading to waterlogging or floods, thus requiring attention to flood prevention and drainage.
One foot shod, one foot bare: Predicts favorable weather (wind and rain coming in due time), with moderate rainfall, an omen for a rare bumper harvest year.
Situation for Bingwu Year丙午年: According to traditional almanac records, the image of Mangshen 芒神for the Bingwu Year 2026丙午年 is described as "wearing trousers, without puttees or shoes," which is commonly referred to as barefoot with trousers rolled up .
Interpretation: This detail is crucial. The Heavenly Stem 天干and Earthly Branch 地支of Bingwu 丙午 both belong to the Fire element 五行(Bing is Yang Fire, Wu is Fire). It is inherently a year with extremely strong Fire energy, and conventionally, one might expect drought.
However, the image of Mangshen芒神 barefoot with trousers rolled up presents a subtle "balance" or "warning"—it indicates that although the fiery heat energy will be strong this year, rainfall should not be underestimated. Particularly in specific seasons, the threat of floods and waterlogging might be greater than the threat of drought.
The prophecies in the Di Mu Jing 地母經(Classic of the Earth Mother) for the Bingwu year 丙午年also mention "much flooding in spring and summer," which corroborates this imagery .
