“打春牛”又名“鞭春”，最早源于漢代。據《故宮寶卷》一書載，中國歷史上每個王朝的立春日都有“鞭春”的風俗，京師地方官將泥塑的“春牛”抬至皇宮門前，然后擊打，象征春耕即將開始。清代每年立春日，皇帝必親赴先農壇祭祀，并做象征性“扶犁親耕”，以示重視農業，勸民扶桑。此風俗由宮廷到全國各地府衙，盛行于世。
         
     “鞭春”在南陽內鄉的古縣衙一帶留傳至今。歷史文獻《內鄉縣考》(同治八年)記載了此風俗在內鄉的歷史及每年由官方支付活動費用的情況。當時每逢立春前一天，由知縣身著朝服率眾官及迎春隊伍，隨員高舉“春”字牌，浩浩蕩蕩至先農壇祭拜，而后由知縣在附近田里扶犁親耕一二垅地，其意為“代御親耕，以祈豐年”。然后迎春隊伍將土制“春牛”、芒神等抬到縣衙大堂前的“迎春池”旁供奉。第二天立春日，縣衙儀門大開對全縣百姓開放，“鞭春”儀式開始。當知縣擊破“春牛”，牛肚內填滿的五谷、干果、紅棗、核桃等食物紛紛落地，眾官和百姓歡呼搶食，以期一年五谷豐登。
          
    “鞭春”活動目前在中國民間逐漸失傳，而南陽內鄉卻歷代相沿至今，且活動時間、地點、形式、內容固定。“鞭春”隨著歷史演變，知縣扶犁親耕慢慢廢了，“牛”也由泥塑變為紙糊，而“打春牛”也逐步演變成為獨特的民間舞蹈形式，在當地社會和群眾生活中有極大影響，是十分珍貴的民族民間文化遺產。

 

Lashing Cattle

   
    Lashing Cattle, also called Lashing Spring, origins from Han Dynasty. According to the book The Imperial Palace Previous Record, it has the custom of lashing spring in beginning of spring day in every dynasty, which symbolizes the beginning of planting. 
    
    This folk activity is almost lost gradually in China, while Neixiang people hand it down generation by generation till today. And the time, place, form and content are still fixed just like those in the past. The document Neihuang County Record witnesses its history in Neixiang. Lashing Spring has experienced some changes with time passing by gradually: there are no officials touching cattle any more, clay-cattle is replaced by paper ones, the simple activity develops into a unique folk dance. Lashing Cattle has an extremely big influence on local people and is also a precious folk cultural heritage.