Pyongyang, March 1 (KCNA) -- In the DPRK, March is a time when spring has fairly set in.

In March there are Kyongchip and Chunbun, ones of the 24 seasonal divisions of the year in the lunar calendar. Kyongchip means a time in which insects spending the winter sleeping under the ground start to move in surprise of the melting of ice, thunder and rain. Chunbun means the middle of the spring. At that time, the length of the day and the night is about the same. In this period, the weather is mild and the frozen land is completely melted.

From olden times, the Korean people have repaired fences and walls at their houses and cleaned up them and their surroundings to clear the traces of winter before starting farming in those periods.

In the periods, they would make delicious dishes with fresh herbs, typically pickpurse and giant garlic.

And they have gathered various medicinal herbs to use as drugs, while enjoying peasant dances with their hope that farming would be good for a year.

Kyongchip and Chunbun fall on March 5 and 20 respectively this year. -0-