“打春牛”又名“鞭春”，最早源于汉代。据《故宫宝卷》一书载，中国历史上每个王朝的立春日都有“鞭春”的风俗，京师地方官将泥塑的“春牛”抬至皇宫门前，然后击打，象征春耕即将开始。清代每年立春日，皇帝必亲赴先农坛祭祀，并做象征性“扶犁亲耕”，以示重视农业，劝民扶桑。此风俗由宫廷到全国各地府衙，盛行于世。
         
     “鞭春”在南阳内乡的古县衙一带留传至今。历史文献《内乡县考》(同治八年)记载了此风俗在内乡的历史及每年由官方支付活动费用的情况。当时每逢立春前一天，由知县身着朝服率众官及迎春队伍，随员高举“春”字牌，浩浩荡荡至先农坛祭拜，而后由知县在附近田里扶犁亲耕一二垅地，其意为“代御亲耕，以祈丰年”。然后迎春队伍将土制“春牛”、芒神等抬到县衙大堂前的“迎春池”旁供奉。第二天立春日，县衙仪门大开对全县百姓开放，“鞭春”仪式开始。当知县击破“春牛”，牛肚内填满的五谷、干果、红枣、核桃等食物纷纷落地，众官和百姓欢呼抢食，以期一年五谷丰登。
          
    “鞭春”活动目前在中国民间逐渐失传，而南阳内乡却历代相沿至今，且活动时间、地点、形式、内容固定。“鞭春”随着历史演变，知县扶犁亲耕慢慢废了，“牛”也由泥塑变为纸糊，而“打春牛”也逐步演变成为独特的民间舞蹈形式，在当地社会和群众生活中有极大影响，是十分珍贵的民族民间文化遗产。

 

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.