Sting is the third of the 24 solar terms. Fighting nails, the sun reaches 345 degrees of the Yellow Meridian, and the festival is on March 5-6 of the Gregorian calendar. Sting reflects the state of germination and growth of natural creatures affected by rhythm changes. When it comes to shock, the yang rises, the temperature warms up, the spring thunder suddenly moves, the rain increases, and everything is full of vitality. Farming production is closely related to the rhythm of nature, and the startled solar terms are of great significance in farming, which is the reflection of ancient farming culture on natural festivals.

"Sting" means "hiding", and insects hide in the soil in winter; "Surprise" means "wake up", and the spring thunder in the sky wakes up the insect. The so-called "spring thunder scares all insects" refers to the time when spring thunder begins to sound, waking up the stinging insects that are dormant in the ground for the winter.

In ancient times, people in some places smoked the four corners of their homes with fragrance and wormwood to drive away "snakes, insects, mosquitoes and mice" and musty smell. Over time, it gradually evolved into the custom of shocking and beating villains to drive away bad luck. In addition, there are customs such as "covering the drum skin", "eating pears" and "offering sacrifices to white tigers to resolve right and wrong".

The symbolic feature of the shocking solar terms is that the spring thunder suddenly moves and everything is full of vitality. Judging from the natural phenological process in various parts of China, due to the large span between north and south, the time when the spring thunder begins to sound is different sooner or later. "The thunder begins when you are startled" only coincides with the natural rhythm in some parts of southern China.