Feeding the birds in China. I read in the China Daily newspaper this morning that a village in northern Beijing's Huairou district, Yangshodixia, celebrates China's lantern festival with a special festival of their own, the Liangqiao Festival. It seems two families traveled to a distant village to borrow some seeds to sow for crops so they could settle the area. While resting on a rocky outcropping, the millet blew away in strong winds and fell into the cracks in the rocks. Legend has it that flocks of mystical sparrows flitted in and dug the seeds out for them. The thankful villagers kowtowed to their avian saviors and vowed to share their harvests with the birds when food is scarce. Every year since, Spring Lantern Festival leftovers are collected by young girls from the village and share with the sparrows. I did not know China had such reverence for birds and nature. Green news and topics dominate the news, much more than in the US. The pollution is a huge problem, but there are Brown Shrikes, Bulbuls, Magpies, Hoopoes, and Black Kites to be found in Shanghai parks, and the green movement appears to be going somewhere. Like this whole feeding the birds thing, perhaps this is why we do it – homage to mystical sparrows? Be kind to the birds, our relationship may be deeper than we suspect…Good Birding! Hău niăo guānwàng!
Mark Alt Brooklyn Center, MN P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail
