To know and Do during Dragon Boat Festival
Did you know? Dragon Boat Festival 端午节, Duan 端 symbolises beginning, Wu 午 symbolises noon. The month of noon marks the middle of summer and 端午节 means the beginning of mid summer festival. The other variant of Wu 午 is the Chinese character 五 which means five. And typically, 端午节 is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar.
Why do we celebrate Dragon Boat Festival?
To commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a patriotic Chinese poet. He was drowned in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th Chinese lunar month. From then on, every 5th day of the 5th Chinese lunar month, people would beat drums, paddle in water and throw dumplings. These activities symbolises as an offering to the god of dragon. Also celebrated to fend off evils & keep people healthy.
Food eaten during Dragon Boat Festival:
- Glutinous rice dumplings 粽子, wrapped in bamboo leaves & formed a pyramid shape, filled with fillings like meat, chestnut, beans. It is not only eaten but also passed as gifts.
- Realgar wine made of fermented cereals are consumed as a remedy for poisons & effective driving diseases & evil spirits away.
Cultural activities done:
- Participating & attending dragon boat races. The wooden boats are carved in fierce dragon heads & tails. This symbolises a worship to the Dragon God.
Things to hang:
- Mugwort leaves are hang to help deter flies & mosquitoes, hanging on doors can help to discourage diseases and bring good luck to the family.
- Zhongkui, a famous exorcist & a fierce looking male raising a sword. His image can be hang in houses to scare away evil spirits & demons.
Changes to the house that can be helpful during Dragon Boat Festival:
- The door is the main entrance and exit of the home & therefore an important air intake in the family. From career, wealth and health luck, it is closely related to the air intake from the door. Mugwort can be hang to help ward off any evil & negative spirits.
- The five-emperor money coins can be placed under the doormat of the entrance door to aid in prospering wealth & diminishing disasters.
- Placing items cleverly can help attract good fortune. Money cans, lucky cats can be displayed in the living room. Tianshi Tailsman & ZhongKui can be hanged to help dispel evil spirits.
