Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional stories - Why do you drink realgar wine on Duanyang Festival?

Why do you drink realgar wine on Duanyang Festival?

Drinking realgar wine on Dragon Boat Festival is to ward off evil spirits, detoxify and drive away snakes and ants. Realgar wine, that is, white wine or yellow wine brewed from ground realgar, is a traditional drink of Dragon Boat Festival in China.

Realgar needs drying. In some areas, it is customary to dry it in the sun from the first day to the fifth day of May, and then pour it into wine on the fifth day. Realgar, as a traditional Chinese medicine, can be used as an antidote and insecticide.