This article is about the traditional Chinese practice. For the story of Columbus balancing an egg, see Egg of Columbus.
Egg balancing is a traditional Chinese practice that has since been popularized in the United States. Although the irregular shape of eggs makes this somewhat difficult, eggshells typically have many imperfections such that the vast majority can be balanced on their broad ends with minimal effort.[1]
Eggs balanced on a flat surface
Folklore holds that eggs can only be balanced in this way at a particular time of year: the lunar new year in China, the Dragon Boat Festival in Taiwan[2] or the vernal equinox in the United States. It is also said that eggs can be balanced on the heads of nails at the equator.[3] In reality, eggs will balance anywhere at any time of year, and the practice has no connection to the gravitational force of the moon or sun.
Egg balancing has been connected with Lichun, the solar term beginning Chinesespring (春) on February 4 or 5 when the sun is at the celestial longitude of 315°. On this day, fresh chicken eggs were balanced on their broad end. In Taiwan, the practice is sometimes connected with the Dragon Boat Festival instead, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.[4]
United StatesEdit
A 1945 Life article reported on "an egg-balancing craze" among the population of Chungking (the interim capital of China during World War II) on that year's Lichun.[5] That article and subsequent followings-up started a similar egg-balancing craze in the United States, but transposed to the vernal equinox beginning Westernspring on March 20 or 21 when the sun is at the celestial longitude of 0°. The idea that an egg is easier to balance on the spring equinox has since become an American urban legend, and egg-balancing events are sometimes held on that date.[6] In 1976, New York artist Donna Henes started organizing egg-balancing ceremonies with the stated goal of bringing about world peace and international harmony.[7] These events, which often drew thousands of people, are still held annually by Henes in New York City.
ScienceEdit
The balancing of most eggs on their broad ends is not particularly difficult at any time of the year.[1] No physical influence of other celestial bodies on the egg can affect its balance to the extent required by the folk belief. Gravitational and electromagnetic forces, in particular, are considerably weaker and steadier than the disturbances created by the person's breathing and heartbeat.
In 1947, after Japanese newspapers picked up the story, the physicist Ukichiro Nakaya verified experimentally that eggs can be balanced with ease at any time of the year. He noticed that an eggshell usually has many small bumps and dimples so that, by turning the egg in different directions, it can be made to touch a flat surface on three points at the same time in many ways. It is not hard to find an orientation such that the egg's center of mass is contained within the triangle spanned by the three contact points, which is the condition for balancing any object.[1] His findings were replicated by astronomer Frank D. Ghigo of the University of Minnesota in 1984.[8][9]
Writing on the subject, Martin Gardner speculated that the folk beliefs inspired people to "try a little harder, be more patient, and use steadier hands" and possibly even to subconsciously sabotage attempts on other days. He compared the self-reinforcing delusion to a "ouija-board phenomenon ".[6]
^Schmid, Randolph. "Equinox Returns and Eggs Keep Balancing". Associated Press, 20 September 1987. Accessed 3 November 2013.
^Mikkelson, David & al. Snopes.com: "Infernal Egguinox". 2012. Accessed 3 November 2013.
August 26, 2023
balancing, this, article, about, traditional, chinese, practice, story, columbus, balancing, columbus, traditional, chinese, practice, that, since, been, popularized, united, states, although, irregular, shape, eggs, makes, this, somewhat, difficult, eggshells. This article is about the traditional Chinese practice For the story of Columbus balancing an egg see Egg of Columbus Egg balancing is a traditional Chinese practice that has since been popularized in the United States Although the irregular shape of eggs makes this somewhat difficult eggshells typically have many imperfections such that the vast majority can be balanced on their broad ends with minimal effort 1 Eggs balanced on a flat surfaceFolklore holds that eggs can only be balanced in this way at a particular time of year the lunar new year in China the Dragon Boat Festival in Taiwan 2 or the vernal equinox in the United States It is also said that eggs can be balanced on the heads of nails at the equator 3 In reality eggs will balance anywhere at any time of year and the practice has no connection to the gravitational force of the moon or sun Contents 1 History 1 1 Lichun egg 1 2 United States 2 Science 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditLichun egg Edit Egg balancing has been connected with Lichun the solar term beginning Chinese spring 春 on February 4 or 5 when the sun is at the celestial longitude of 315 On this day fresh chicken eggs were balanced on their broad end In Taiwan the practice is sometimes connected with the Dragon Boat Festival instead on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month 4 United States Edit A 1945 Life article reported on an egg balancing craze among the population of Chungking the interim capital of China during World War II on that year s Lichun 5 That article and subsequent followings up started a similar egg balancing craze in the United States but transposed to the vernal equinox beginning Western spring on March 20 or 21 when the sun is at the celestial longitude of 0 The idea that an egg is easier to balance on the spring equinox has since become an American urban legend and egg balancing events are sometimes held on that date 6 In 1976 New York artist Donna Henes started organizing egg balancing ceremonies with the stated goal of bringing about world peace and international harmony 7 These events which often drew thousands of people are still held annually by Henes in New York City Science EditThe balancing of most eggs on their broad ends is not particularly difficult at any time of the year 1 No physical influence of other celestial bodies on the egg can affect its balance to the extent required by the folk belief Gravitational and electromagnetic forces in particular are considerably weaker and steadier than the disturbances created by the person s breathing and heartbeat In 1947 after Japanese newspapers picked up the story the physicist Ukichiro Nakaya verified experimentally that eggs can be balanced with ease at any time of the year He noticed that an eggshell usually has many small bumps and dimples so that by turning the egg in different directions it can be made to touch a flat surface on three points at the same time in many ways It is not hard to find an orientation such that the egg s center of mass is contained within the triangle spanned by the three contact points which is the condition for balancing any object 1 His findings were replicated by astronomer Frank D Ghigo of the University of Minnesota in 1984 8 9 Writing on the subject Martin Gardner speculated that the folk beliefs inspired people to try a little harder be more patient and use steadier hands and possibly even to subconsciously sabotage attempts on other days He compared the self reinforcing delusion to a ouija board phenomenon 6 See also EditEgg of Columbus mechanical puzzle Egg of Columbus Easter egg Superegg Evidence of Things Not Seen an episode of The West Wing featuring the American vernal equinox traditionReferences Edit a b c Ukichiro Nakaya February 2001 1947 Egg of Li Chun Essays in Japanese Vol 5 Iwanami Shoten 姜義鎮 2002 06 03 台灣民俗與特產 in Chinese Taiwan 臺灣 武陵出版有限公司 ISBN 957351205X Busted Top 3 equator line tricks debunked 26 September 2016 Huang Ottavia Hmmm This Is What I Think Dragon Boat Festival Time to Balance an Egg 24 June 2012 Accessed 3 November 2013 Annalee Jacoby March 19 1945 Eggs Stand on End in Chungking Life pp 36 37 a b Martin Gardner May June 1996 The great egg balancing mystery Skeptical Inquirer 20 3 Archived from the original on 2007 02 21 The New Yorker 1983 04 04 a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a Missing or empty title help Schmid Randolph Equinox Returns and Eggs Keep Balancing Associated Press 20 September 1987 Accessed 3 November 2013 Mikkelson David amp al Snopes com Infernal Egguinox 2012 Accessed 3 November 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Egg balancing amp oldid 1153764350, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
