What do people do on the Dragon Boat Festival?

On the Dragon Boat Festival, people will race dragon boats, wear sachets, hang mugwort leaves, eat zongzi and order realgar wine.

1, Dragon Boat Race

Dragon boat race is an important activity of Dragon Boat Festival. At first, it was a sacrificial activity of the ancient Yue people to worship the water god or the dragon god, and its origin may have begun at the end of primitive society. It has been circulating for more than two thousand years.

According to historical records, the dragon boat race started in memory of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. It can be seen that dragon boat racing is not only a kind of sports and entertainment, but also reflects the patriotism and collectivism in people's hearts.

2. Wear sachets

Children wear sachets on the Dragon Boat Festival, which is said to mean to ward off evil spirits and plague. Actually, it is used to decorate the inner head. The sachet contains cinnabar, realgar, and fragrant medicine. It is wrapped in silk, and the fragrance is overflowing. Then it is tied into a rope with five-color silk threads, and made into various shapes of strings, which are small and lovely. In some cities in southern China, young men and women also use sachets to express their deep love.

Step 3 hang wormwood

On the Dragon Boat Festival, people regard inserting wormwood and calamus as one of the important contents. Every household should sweep the courtyard, put calamus and moxa sticks in the eyebrows of the door and hang them in the main room. Acorus calamus, Folium Artemisiae Argyi, Liu Hua, Garlic and Dragon Boat Flower are made into human or tiger shapes, which are called Ai Ren and Ai Hu. It is made into garlands and decorations, beautiful and fragrant, and women compete to wear it to ward off evil spirits.

Step 4 eat zongzi

Eating zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival is a popular traditional custom in China. The main materials of Zongzi are rice, stuffing and bamboo leaves (or Hiragi leaves).

Step 5 order realgar wine

Realgar is also a kind of medicinal material, which is said to kill all kinds of poisons. Therefore, during the Dragon Boat Festival, ancient people would soak realgar in wine and smear realgar wine on children's ears, nose, forehead, wrists and ankles. It is said that this practice can keep mosquitoes, snakes, scorpions, centipedes, geckos and spiders away from the body.