On the vernal equinox, there is an ancient folk custom of eating spring vegetables. Spring vegetable is a kind of wild amaranth, also known as wormwood. On the vernal equinox, people go to the fields to pick spring vegetables. Their practice is generally to roll soup with fish fillets, which is called "spring soup". There is a folk saying that "spring soup fills the dirty and washes the liver and intestines." The whole family, old and young, are safe and healthy, expressing people's wishes for a safe and beautiful life for one year.

Amaranth is millet, mostly wild. It grows on roadsides, riverbanks, gullies, fields, ridges and other places, and its tender seedlings and tender stems and leaves are edible. Amaranth is tender and delicious, which has been listed as delicious in the textual research of plant names in Qing Dynasty. Wild amaranth is rich in nutrition, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. Moreover, it is easily absorbed by the human body, which is very conducive to strengthening physical fitness and improving immunity, so it has the reputation of "longevity vegetables". Amaranth is slightly cold and sweet, and has the effects of clearing away heat and toxic materials and diuresis. Can be used for treating dysentery, enteritis, diarrhea, hemorrhoid swelling and pain, mastitis, and dysuria. However, people with slight cold and deficiency of spleen and stomach should not eat more.

For "spring vegetables", there is another saying that spring vegetables generally refer to all kinds of seasonal vegetables that are energy-saving at this time. So when you are hungry, "eating spring vegetables at the vernal equinox" conforms to the seasonal principle of eating in ancient China. There are eight "no food" in Confucius' The Analects of Confucius and the Rural Party, one of which is "no food from time to time", which advocates eating in time. The meaning of "time" here is rich, the basic meaning is to arrange meals reasonably according to the laws of human body and nature, including choosing diet according to seasons and not eating out-of-season food.

Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, out-of-season foods can be seen everywhere. On the surface, it seems that people have many food choices and rich varieties. But against nature, eating against time is not in line with the way of keeping in good health.

Therefore, eating wild vegetables in the spring equinox season should also choose ingredients according to seasonal needs and traditional eating methods, which is the healthiest and most health-preserving method.